Narrative:

I found an FAA form 8620 had been left on my airplane when I went out to fly it. It listed several discrepancies, none of which seemed to be a hazard to safety. Things like missing screws and placards. He also mentioned that my propeller backing plate was improperly installed. This was installed by a reliable ia who had annualed the airplane 9 months ago and had given no problems for the last 100 hours. I determined that the airplane was safe and went on a local training flight. The flight was uneventful. Later, when I got home, I saw on the form where the inspector considered the items listed to be an imminent hazard to safety and that operation prior to correction would be contrary to safety. Notwithstanding that only a couple of the 50 bilzillion screws that hold the inspection covers and cowlings were missing, and that the spinner and backing plate had done just fine for the past 9 months. I would not have flown the plane if I had realized at the time that it could have been considered contrary to FARS. I didn't realize that the FAA form 8620-1 tagged to my airplane indicated that the plane shouldn't have been flown until I got home and started looking over it again. I think this form could be made easier to understand.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT FLEW HIS ACFT AFTER FINDING AN FAA FORM 8620-1 HANGING ON THE ACFT STATING THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT AIRWORTHY.

Narrative: I FOUND AN FAA FORM 8620 HAD BEEN LEFT ON MY AIRPLANE WHEN I WENT OUT TO FLY IT. IT LISTED SEVERAL DISCREPANCIES, NONE OF WHICH SEEMED TO BE A HAZARD TO SAFETY. THINGS LIKE MISSING SCREWS AND PLACARDS. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT MY PROP BACKING PLATE WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. THIS WAS INSTALLED BY A RELIABLE IA WHO HAD ANNUALED THE AIRPLANE 9 MONTHS AGO AND HAD GIVEN NO PROBS FOR THE LAST 100 HRS. I DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS SAFE AND WENT ON A LCL TRAINING FLT. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. LATER, WHEN I GOT HOME, I SAW ON THE FORM WHERE THE INSPECTOR CONSIDERED THE ITEMS LISTED TO BE AN IMMINENT HAZARD TO SAFETY AND THAT OP PRIOR TO CORRECTION WOULD BE CONTRARY TO SAFETY. NOTWITHSTANDING THAT ONLY A COUPLE OF THE 50 BILZILLION SCREWS THAT HOLD THE INSPECTION COVERS AND COWLINGS WERE MISSING, AND THAT THE SPINNER AND BACKING PLATE HAD DONE JUST FINE FOR THE PAST 9 MONTHS. I WOULD NOT HAVE FLOWN THE PLANE IF I HAD REALIZED AT THE TIME THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO FARS. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE FAA FORM 8620-1 TAGGED TO MY AIRPLANE INDICATED THAT THE PLANE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FLOWN UNTIL I GOT HOME AND STARTED LOOKING OVER IT AGAIN. I THINK THIS FORM COULD BE MADE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND.

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.