Definition
A written record kept with the aircraft that lists items of equipment which are inoperative, deferred, or otherwise not functioning normally, along with the date noted and the action taken. It is used to document the condition of the aircraft and to track inoperative equipment that has been properly deferred under the applicable inoperative equipment procedures.
Plain English
A logbook-style list of what is broken or not working on the aircraft, when it was noticed, and what was done about it.
Context Anchor
You see this term when deciding whether an aircraft with inoperative equipment may be flown, especially during preflight, postflight, and maintenance-log review.
Derivation
Discrepancy comes from the Latin discrepare, meaning 'to differ' or 'to disagree.' In aviation it refers to anything about the aircraft that differs from its normal, fully airworthy condition.
Why Pilots Care
Before each flight, the pilot is responsible for reviewing the discrepancy record to know what is inoperative, whether it has been properly deferred, and whether the aircraft is legal and safe to fly in its current condition.
Intuition Check
Do not read discrepancy record as just a casual note or complaint. In this context, it is an aircraft condition record that affects whether the airplane may be flown.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight, the pilot reviewed the discrepancy record and confirmed that the inoperative landing light had been properly deferred.
Example Sentence 2
After the mechanic repaired the faulty gauge, the discrepancy record was updated and signed off to close the entry.