AN MD-80 PILOT REPORTS OF SHOWING UP AT THE GATE; ONLY TO FIND OUT HIS OUTBOUND ACFT WAS SUDDENLY REMOVED FROM SERVICE. ACFT HAD EARLIER FAILED THE HORIZ STAB JACKSCREW INSPECTION; BUT WAS RELEASED FOR SERVICE.

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UPON SHOWING UP TO THE GATE FOR FLT WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING OTS; THE LOGBOOK WAS CLEAN; SO THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION. I CALLED MAINT CTL THEY HAD NO INFO. FINALLY A MECH BOARDS THE AIRPLANE AND TELLS ME THE STABILIZER TRIM WAS OUT OF CALIBRATION. THIS DID NOT MAKE A LOT OF SENSE; BUT WE PICKED UP OUR STUFF AND WENT TO THE NEW AIRPLANE. LATER A SUPVR MET ME ON THE NEW AIRPLANE TO EXPLAIN. IT SEEMED THIS AIRPLANE UNDERWENT THE STABILIZER TRIM JACKSCREW INSPECTION AND WAS OUT OF TOLERANCE. THE CREW MADE A MISTAKE ON THE PAPERWORK AND AUTH THE ACFT FOR FLT. WHEN I ASKED THE SUPVR WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF WE WENT FLYING; HE SAID THEY WOULD HAVE SENT ME A MESSAGE REQUESTING ME TO MAKE AN EMER LNG AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE ACFT HAD FAILED A STAB TRIM JACKSCREW INSPECTION. YET SOMEHOW; THE PAPERWORK HAD BEEN SIGNED-OFF AND THE ACFT RELEASED FOR SERVICE AND BROUGHT TO THE DEPARTURE GATE. REPORTER ALSO ADDED THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS MISTAKE IN PAPERWORK SIGN-OFF WAS CAUGHT IN TIME; HE FEELS THERE IS AN UNDERLYING CURRENT IN MAINT TO JUST GET THE PLANE OUT. TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES ARE DEFICIENT; AT BEST. DEFERRING AND PLACARDING MAINT ITEMS; EVEN IF THE CAUSE OF THE DISCREPANCY IS NOT CLEAR; ARE THE PLAN OF THE DAY.