Narrative:

I am one of the pilots that flies traffic watch aircraft in the austin, tx, area. The aircraft we use are either private or flight school aircraft, model 172N skyhawks. In all purposes, all relevant information regarding aircraft status is made available to us pilots. As of may/tue/95 it came to my attention that one of the aircraft we were flying was not being maintained properly. After review of maintenance logbooks, which we were not informed were in the aircraft, it was established that the annual inspection had not been properly conducted and that the 100 hour inspection had not been completed. I fly the morning portion of traffic watch on 2 days. These flts begin at XA30 am, and it is unfeasible to contact the maintenance personnel in houston from austin that early in the morning, and to persons I have no knowledge of. These inspections are required under part 91,409. No special operating permit is known to exist for this aircraft, so sections a and B apply here. According to reports, the annual was overflown by 2 calendar months, and the 100 hour inspection by no less than 20 hours. I realize that it is up to the PIC to determine the safety of the flight. But it is also the responsibility of the owner/operator to ensure that proper maintenance has been completed. Since knowledge of this, none of the pilots, including myself, have flown the airplane nor will we, until corrective changes are made and that all inspections are complied with.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TFC WATCH PLT FOUND THAT HIS ACFT WAS OVERDUE FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.

Narrative: I AM ONE OF THE PLTS THAT FLIES TFC WATCH ACFT IN THE AUSTIN, TX, AREA. THE ACFT WE USE ARE EITHER PVT OR FLT SCHOOL ACFT, MODEL 172N SKYHAWKS. IN ALL PURPOSES, ALL RELEVANT INFO REGARDING ACFT STATUS IS MADE AVAILABLE TO US PLTS. AS OF MAY/TUE/95 IT CAME TO MY ATTN THAT ONE OF THE ACFT WE WERE FLYING WAS NOT BEING MAINTAINED PROPERLY. AFTER REVIEW OF MAINT LOGBOOKS, WHICH WE WERE NOT INFORMED WERE IN THE ACFT, IT WAS ESTABLISHED THAT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY CONDUCTED AND THAT THE 100 HR INSPECTION HAD NOT BEEN COMPLETED. I FLY THE MORNING PORTION OF TFC WATCH ON 2 DAYS. THESE FLTS BEGIN AT XA30 AM, AND IT IS UNFEASIBLE TO CONTACT THE MAINT PERSONNEL IN HOUSTON FROM AUSTIN THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND TO PERSONS I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF. THESE INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED UNDER PART 91,409. NO SPECIAL OPERATING PERMIT IS KNOWN TO EXIST FOR THIS ACFT, SO SECTIONS A AND B APPLY HERE. ACCORDING TO RPTS, THE ANNUAL WAS OVERFLOWN BY 2 CALENDAR MONTHS, AND THE 100 HR INSPECTION BY NO LESS THAN 20 HRS. I REALIZE THAT IT IS UP TO THE PIC TO DETERMINE THE SAFETY OF THE FLT. BUT IT IS ALSO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER/OPERATOR TO ENSURE THAT PROPER MAINT HAS BEEN COMPLETED. SINCE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS, NONE OF THE PLTS, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE FLOWN THE AIRPLANE NOR WILL WE, UNTIL CORRECTIVE CHANGES ARE MADE AND THAT ALL INSPECTIONS ARE COMPLIED WITH.

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.