Narrative:

This report relates to airworthiness directive for an small aircraft. The airworthiness directive calls for inspection and sign-off on annual, 100-hour and progressive inspections, of an alternate air valve. This aircraft, manufactured in 1979, was made with a redesigned air valve. The airworthiness directive came out in 1975. Although the airworthiness directive included 'subsequent' aircraft, most mechanics interpret post 1975 aircraft with the new valve not to be covered by the airworthiness directive. I performed the required inspection, per the manufacturer's service guide but did not sign off on the airworthiness directive specifically, because none of the manufacturer's publications called for an airworthiness directive sign- off. The FAA is accusing me of improper maintenance record sign-offs on may/xx/91 and sep/xx/91 because I did not mention the airworthiness directive. There should be an amendment to the airworthiness directive to exclude aircraft with the new air valves, or a clarification notice to mechanics and owners.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FBO MECH IS ACCUSED OF FAILING TO KEEP PROPER RECORDS BECAUSE HE FAILED TO COMPLY WITH AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE FOR AN SMA HE INSPECTED.

Narrative: THIS RPT RELATES TO AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE FOR AN SMA. THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE CALLS FOR INSPECTION AND SIGN-OFF ON ANNUAL, 100-HR AND PROGRESSIVE INSPECTIONS, OF AN ALTERNATE AIR VALVE. THIS ACFT, MANUFACTURED IN 1979, WAS MADE WITH A REDESIGNED AIR VALVE. THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE CAME OUT IN 1975. ALTHOUGH THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE INCLUDED 'SUBSEQUENT' ACFT, MOST MECHS INTERPRET POST 1975 ACFT WITH THE NEW VALVE NOT TO BE COVERED BY THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. I PERFORMED THE REQUIRED INSPECTION, PER THE MANUFACTURER'S SVC GUIDE BUT DID NOT SIGN OFF ON THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE NONE OF THE MANUFACTURER'S PUBLICATIONS CALLED FOR AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE SIGN- OFF. THE FAA IS ACCUSING ME OF IMPROPER MAINT RECORD SIGN-OFFS ON MAY/XX/91 AND SEP/XX/91 BECAUSE I DID NOT MENTION THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. THERE SHOULD BE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE TO EXCLUDE ACFT WITH THE NEW AIR VALVES, OR A CLARIFICATION NOTICE TO MECHS AND OWNERS.

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.