Narrative:

I was to pick up a small aircraft in worcester, ma. This aircraft was being purchased for use as a multi engine trainer. The aircraft was to be in airworthy condition and ready to fly. I thoroughly inspected the aircraft logbooks and found all maintenance to be in compliance including all airworthiness directives. The most recent ad inspection being xx-yy-92. The aircraft was test flown with 1 of the current owners. Everything seemed in line and the transaction was completed. En route out of worcester, while at 6500, the cabin door inadvertently opened. Another pilot was flying with me. We made a precautionary landing at bradley international. We taxied to FBO to park and inspect the door. A gentleman with the FAA conducted a ramp check of our aircraft and found it, in his opinion, unairworthy, due to rudder and elevator damage which was caused by a windstorm, according to the previous owners. On xx-yy-92, a list of approximately 10 adþs were complied with. Of those, 2 dealt directly with the rudder and elevator assembly. We were assured by the then present owners it had been inspected and was in fine condition. I had no intention of flying an airplane that would have been considered unairworthy by the FAA. Had I been an a & P, I may have been more educated in seeing it the way the FAA did. I sincerely apologize to the FAA for inadvertently flying an airplane then felt was unairworthy. We are currently awaiting a further determination on a ferry permit to complete the flight. Once again, to my best abilities, the aircraft was in airworthy condition.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT WAS FLOWN IN A POSSIBLE NON AIRWORTHY CONDITION ON A DELIVERY FLT. AN FAA RAMP CHK BROUGHT UP THE QUESTION OF AIRWORTHINESS. ALL ACFT LOGBOOKS APPEARED TO BE IN PROPER CONDITION. A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WAS MADE AS THE COCKPIT DOOR FLEW OPEN IN FLT.

Narrative: I WAS TO PICK UP A SMA IN WORCESTER, MA. THIS ACFT WAS BEING PURCHASED FOR USE AS A MULTI ENG TRAINER. THE ACFT WAS TO BE IN AIRWORTHY CONDITION AND READY TO FLY. I THOROUGHLY INSPECTED THE ACFT LOGBOOKS AND FOUND ALL MAINT TO BE IN COMPLIANCE INCLUDING ALL AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES. THE MOST RECENT AD INSPECTION BEING XX-YY-92. THE ACFT WAS TEST FLOWN WITH 1 OF THE CURRENT OWNERS. EVERYTHING SEEMED IN LINE AND THE TRANSACTION WAS COMPLETED. ENRTE OUT OF WORCESTER, WHILE AT 6500, THE CABIN DOOR INADVERTENTLY OPENED. ANOTHER PLT WAS FLYING WITH ME. WE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT BRADLEY INTL. WE TAXIED TO FBO TO PARK AND INSPECT THE DOOR. A GENTLEMAN WITH THE FAA CONDUCTED A RAMP CHK OF OUR ACFT AND FOUND IT, IN HIS OPINION, UNAIRWORTHY, DUE TO RUDDER AND ELEVATOR DAMAGE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A WINDSTORM, ACCORDING TO THE PREVIOUS OWNERS. ON XX-YY-92, A LIST OF APPROX 10 ADþS WERE COMPLIED WITH. OF THOSE, 2 DEALT DIRECTLY WITH THE RUDDER AND ELEVATOR ASSEMBLY. WE WERE ASSURED BY THE THEN PRESENT OWNERS IT HAD BEEN INSPECTED AND WAS IN FINE CONDITION. I HAD NO INTENTION OF FLYING AN AIRPLANE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED UNAIRWORTHY BY THE FAA. HAD I BEEN AN A & P, I MAY HAVE BEEN MORE EDUCATED IN SEEING IT THE WAY THE FAA DID. I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO THE FAA FOR INADVERTENTLY FLYING AN AIRPLANE THEN FELT WAS UNAIRWORTHY. WE ARE CURRENTLY AWAITING A FURTHER DETERMINATION ON A FERRY PERMIT TO COMPLETE THE FLT. ONCE AGAIN, TO MY BEST ABILITIES, THE ACFT WAS IN AIRWORTHY CONDITION.

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.