Narrative:

Airplane buyers beware! In feb of 1991, I bought a 6 place small aircraft which was advertised as 50 hours smoh, in one of the aviation newspapers, flew it 30 hours myself with my wife as passenger. In sep I took it in for a heating problem and its annual. 1 cylinder had 7 cracks in it, the old rings (at least they seem to think) was put back in, the last time the cylinder was chromed was in 1974. The reason the mechanic took the cylinder off was because he couldn't stop an exhaust leak, there were 3 more cylinders with exhaust leaks. The propeller, which was supposed to have been overhauled in 1989, with 60 hours on it, needed a new shaft, because of rust and pits, and new bearing in the governor. According to mr X of abc aircraft sales in corona the plane had 50 hours smoh and 3 yrs left on the propeller. The mechanic who was supposed to have overhauled this engine owns a flying service in calexico, ca. If he did such a good job on this engine I wonder how the engines are in his flying service planes. I took all the information about the engine and all logbooks to the FAA and have gotten an investigation started, but what about abc? According to my lawyer, I have a good case. Let the small aircraft situation, $3000 retainer, and in 3 or 4 yrs we go to court. Now, if we win and get a judgement, how to make him pay, also where will he be in 3 or 4 yrs? Will he still own abc? So, for you who wish to buy their first plane, like me, beware of abc. Beware of anything at corona, that's where I had my prepurchase inspection done. My lawyer says, don't go near corona -- of course now he tells me. $18000 later, I have a good plane, one I can take the grandkids up in and not have to worry about. But you, buying for the first time, see an aviation lawyer, spend $50 more and he will send you to responsible dealers. Don't get screwed like I did!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PURCHASER FINDS FRAUD IN ACFT SOLD AS '50 HRS SINCE MAJOR'.

Narrative: AIRPLANE BUYERS BEWARE! IN FEB OF 1991, I BOUGHT A 6 PLACE SMA WHICH WAS ADVERTISED AS 50 HRS SMOH, IN ONE OF THE AVIATION NEWSPAPERS, FLEW IT 30 HRS MYSELF WITH MY WIFE AS PAX. IN SEP I TOOK IT IN FOR A HEATING PROBLEM AND ITS ANNUAL. 1 CYLINDER HAD 7 CRACKS IN IT, THE OLD RINGS (AT LEAST THEY SEEM TO THINK) WAS PUT BACK IN, THE LAST TIME THE CYLINDER WAS CHROMED WAS IN 1974. THE REASON THE MECH TOOK THE CYLINDER OFF WAS BECAUSE HE COULDN'T STOP AN EXHAUST LEAK, THERE WERE 3 MORE CYLINDERS WITH EXHAUST LEAKS. THE PROP, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN OVERHAULED IN 1989, WITH 60 HRS ON IT, NEEDED A NEW SHAFT, BECAUSE OF RUST AND PITS, AND NEW BEARING IN THE GOVERNOR. ACCORDING TO MR X OF ABC ACFT SALES IN CORONA THE PLANE HAD 50 HRS SMOH AND 3 YRS LEFT ON THE PROP. THE MECH WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE OVERHAULED THIS ENG OWNS A FLYING SVC IN CALEXICO, CA. IF HE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB ON THIS ENG I WONDER HOW THE ENGS ARE IN HIS FLYING SVC PLANES. I TOOK ALL THE INFO ABOUT THE ENG AND ALL LOGBOOKS TO THE FAA AND HAVE GOTTEN AN INVESTIGATION STARTED, BUT WHAT ABOUT ABC? ACCORDING TO MY LAWYER, I HAVE A GOOD CASE. LET THE SMA SIT, $3000 RETAINER, AND IN 3 OR 4 YRS WE GO TO COURT. NOW, IF WE WIN AND GET A JUDGEMENT, HOW TO MAKE HIM PAY, ALSO WHERE WILL HE BE IN 3 OR 4 YRS? WILL HE STILL OWN ABC? SO, FOR YOU WHO WISH TO BUY THEIR FIRST PLANE, LIKE ME, BEWARE OF ABC. BEWARE OF ANYTHING AT CORONA, THAT'S WHERE I HAD MY PREPURCHASE INSPECTION DONE. MY LAWYER SAYS, DON'T GO NEAR CORONA -- OF COURSE NOW HE TELLS ME. $18000 LATER, I HAVE A GOOD PLANE, ONE I CAN TAKE THE GRANDKIDS UP IN AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT. BUT YOU, BUYING FOR THE FIRST TIME, SEE AN AVIATION LAWYER, SPEND $50 MORE AND HE WILL SEND YOU TO RESPONSIBLE DEALERS. DON'T GET SCREWED LIKE I DID!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.