Date: 201901
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: B767-300 and 300 ER
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Cargo / Freight / Delivery
Flight phase: Parked
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Training / Qualification
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight
Contributing factors: Incorrect / Not Installed / Unavailable Part; Procedure; Company Policy; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Missing Maintenance Manual (AGAIN). While reviewing the aircraft maintenance logbooks that were contained within the metal maintenance can it was discovered that the aircraft was missing the chronological logbook that preceded the active logbook. There was a second 'blue' logbook within the can but; it was not the required preceding logbook specified within our manuals. I opened a write up on the most active page stating the discrepancy. I then called the dispatcher and briefed him of the situation and informed him I needed to speak to a Chief Pilot with regulatory relief authority. A 'Duty Pilot' was brought into the conversation along with maintenance control. After explaining to the Duty Pilot the situation and that this very thing had happened on the previous flight the night before on a different aircraft a Chief Pilot was brought into the conversation. Chief Pilot [Name] entered the conversation and after it was determined that he still had relief authority maintenance developed a plan to send copies of all the pages contained within the missing 'blue' logbook. Captain [Name] said he would apply his authority and that an ACAR's message would be sent backing up the verbal acknowledgment. With Captain [Name] authority and with the dispatchers and my concurrence we waited for maintenance to provide the documentation. The promised ACAR's message arrived and a copy was entered into the trip envelope and a copy was left with the station. The active 'blue' logbook maintenance write up was cleared with a signed off with maintenance personnel in [Station Code] and the required pages in numerical order were reviewed and placed within the metal maintenance can. This situation happening twice in consecutive days on consecutive flights in two different aircraft shows a huge maintenance procedural breakdown. The extremely high reliance on contracted maintenance with limited direct [Name] company employee supervision may appear to be a contributing factor as to how the maintenance controlled document was somehow removed and the aircraft continued to move within the system with this discrepancy undetected. Please; please; address the inconsistency's that are becoming increasingly prevalent within our operations between the maintenance group and the flight operations group. To have consecutive mirrored issues dealing with the same maintenance logbook issues on consecutive flights in two different aircraft is just plain not acceptable.




Synopsis: Air carrier Captain reported discovering the Aircraft Maintenance Log Book missing during pre-flight. Worked with Maintenance to get missing documentation on board the airplane as required.