Narrative:

Captain (PIC) major 121 airline flying medium large transport aircraft. My last regular FAA physical examination occurred on feb/mon/89 (first class). In may/89 I received through the mail another first class medical certificate with a corrected date of may/thu/89 typed in at the top. The attached card stated in part: '...it supersedes any previous one you may have been issued. ...Signed, administrator.' from this I understood my 6 month first class currency date started on the last date (corrected date) as shown on the latest physical certificate in my possession. The third week of sep/89 my company indicated to me they did not have in their records a listing of my pilot certificates, ratings, dates, etc. And to fill out the enclosed pilot certificate audit form. (No medical certificate information was requested.) while reviewing my certificates I questioned the true baseline date to be used to establish my first class medical certificate expiration date from. After checking further I determined the following: 1) the original date of examination did indeed establish the 6 month currency date for the first class certificate, not the corrected date as shown on the subsequent medical certificate issued by oklahoma city. 2) I, by this time, had unintentionally flown approximately 3 weeks into the 7TH month. My first class medical certificate had expired aug/thu/89. 3) my airline always notifies each pilot the month preceding the expiration of his medical certificate, along with a form to fill out for the new examination. To date, I have received no such notification from my company. The established system of checks and balances has failed in this case. 4) also to date I have received no queries from the FAA or aeromedical certification branch in oklahoma city. If there is an established xchk here, it also failed. I do understand that ultimately it is the pilot's sole responsibility to maintain currency. I immediately grounded myself and scheduled an examination for a new first class medical certificate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT FLEW WITH EXPIRED MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.

Narrative: CAPT (PIC) MAJOR 121 AIRLINE FLYING MLG ACFT. MY LAST REGULAR FAA PHYSICAL EXAM OCCURRED ON FEB/MON/89 (FIRST CLASS). IN MAY/89 I RECEIVED THROUGH THE MAIL ANOTHER FIRST CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WITH A CORRECTED DATE OF MAY/THU/89 TYPED IN AT THE TOP. THE ATTACHED CARD STATED IN PART: '...IT SUPERSEDES ANY PREVIOUS ONE YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ISSUED. ...SIGNED, ADMINISTRATOR.' FROM THIS I UNDERSTOOD MY 6 MONTH FIRST CLASS CURRENCY DATE STARTED ON THE LAST DATE (CORRECTED DATE) AS SHOWN ON THE LATEST PHYSICAL CERTIFICATE IN MY POSSESSION. THE THIRD WEEK OF SEP/89 MY COMPANY INDICATED TO ME THEY DID NOT HAVE IN THEIR RECORDS A LISTING OF MY PLT CERTIFICATES, RATINGS, DATES, ETC. AND TO FILL OUT THE ENCLOSED PLT CERTIFICATE AUDIT FORM. (NO MEDICAL CERTIFICATE INFO WAS REQUESTED.) WHILE REVIEWING MY CERTIFICATES I QUESTIONED THE TRUE BASELINE DATE TO BE USED TO ESTABLISH MY FIRST CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE EXPIRATION DATE FROM. AFTER CHECKING FURTHER I DETERMINED THE FOLLOWING: 1) THE ORIGINAL DATE OF EXAM DID INDEED ESTABLISH THE 6 MONTH CURRENCY DATE FOR THE FIRST CLASS CERTIFICATE, NOT THE CORRECTED DATE AS SHOWN ON THE SUBSEQUENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY OKLAHOMA CITY. 2) I, BY THIS TIME, HAD UNINTENTIONALLY FLOWN APPROX 3 WEEKS INTO THE 7TH MONTH. MY FIRST CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED AUG/THU/89. 3) MY AIRLINE ALWAYS NOTIFIES EACH PLT THE MONTH PRECEDING THE EXPIRATION OF HIS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE, ALONG WITH A FORM TO FILL OUT FOR THE NEW EXAMINATION. TO DATE, I HAVE RECEIVED NO SUCH NOTIFICATION FROM MY COMPANY. THE ESTABLISHED SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES HAS FAILED IN THIS CASE. 4) ALSO TO DATE I HAVE RECEIVED NO QUERIES FROM THE FAA OR AEROMEDICAL CERTIFICATION BRANCH IN OKLAHOMA CITY. IF THERE IS AN ESTABLISHED XCHK HERE, IT ALSO FAILED. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT ULTIMATELY IT IS THE PLT'S SOLE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN CURRENCY. I IMMEDIATELY GNDED MYSELF AND SCHEDULED AN EXAM FOR A NEW FIRST CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.