Narrative:

Today, I performed a maintenance test flight at the request of my employer. An inspector flew with us and asked that I check that a new aileron worked properly. The maintenance log noted the work done and repairs deemed satisfactory pending the test flight. The inspector had signed the log and asked me to put a check mark next to the hand written words 'satisfactory' and 'not satisfactory,' pending the outcome of the flight. The airplane flew normally and I checked 'satisfactory.' I then flew 4 revenue trips in this aircraft. The afternoon crew was subject to a random FAA inspection. The FAA inspector grounded the airplane because I had not signed the maintenance log. My company does not train pilots in the proper procedures to be followed during test flts. We receive no training in completing the paperwork properly. Our company pilot manual makes no reference to test flight procedures other than to reference a maintenance manual not issued to pilots. I work at the company's discretion and would be subject to suspension or dismissal for refusing this assignment. I followed the inspectors instructions exactly and was not aware of the fact that the aircraft's paperwork was not complete -- our maintenance department obviously was not aware of this either.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT GNDED BY FAA INSPECTOR WHEN HE FOUND THAT MAINT LOGBOOK HADN'T BEEN PROPERLY ENDORSED AFTER RPTR CONDUCTED A TEST FLT.

Narrative: TODAY, I PERFORMED A MAINT TEST FLT AT THE REQUEST OF MY EMPLOYER. AN INSPECTOR FLEW WITH US AND ASKED THAT I CHK THAT A NEW AILERON WORKED PROPERLY. THE MAINT LOG NOTED THE WORK DONE AND REPAIRS DEEMED SATISFACTORY PENDING THE TEST FLT. THE INSPECTOR HAD SIGNED THE LOG AND ASKED ME TO PUT A CHK MARK NEXT TO THE HAND WRITTEN WORDS 'SATISFACTORY' AND 'NOT SATISFACTORY,' PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE FLT. THE AIRPLANE FLEW NORMALLY AND I CHKED 'SATISFACTORY.' I THEN FLEW 4 REVENUE TRIPS IN THIS ACFT. THE AFTERNOON CREW WAS SUBJECT TO A RANDOM FAA INSPECTION. THE FAA INSPECTOR GNDED THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE I HAD NOT SIGNED THE MAINT LOG. MY COMPANY DOES NOT TRAIN PLTS IN THE PROPER PROCS TO BE FOLLOWED DURING TEST FLTS. WE RECEIVE NO TRAINING IN COMPLETING THE PAPERWORK PROPERLY. OUR COMPANY PLT MANUAL MAKES NO REF TO TEST FLT PROCS OTHER THAN TO REF A MAINT MANUAL NOT ISSUED TO PLTS. I WORK AT THE COMPANY'S DISCRETION AND WOULD BE SUBJECT TO SUSPENSION OR DISMISSAL FOR REFUSING THIS ASSIGNMENT. I FOLLOWED THE INSPECTORS INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE ACFT'S PAPERWORK WAS NOT COMPLETE -- OUR MAINT DEPT OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS EITHER.

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.