Narrative:

Discovered that I had operated aircraft without the proper n- number on airworthiness certificate. Aircraft had been on line at our regional airline for more than 1 month, and flown by over 50 different crew members. I should have paid more attention to aircraft documents before accepting aircraft. Will definitely include these documents in much greater detail when examining aircraft during preflight. Would suggest that the certificates be located in the cockpit instead of at the aircraft entrance. This way, they would be examined with other documents during preflight much earlier. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the discrepancy was discovered on the walk around. The airplane had to get a special ferry permit to be flown to where the proper paper work and documentation could be placed on the airplane before passenger could be carried. The documentation is physically located where the passenger will pass by on entering and leaving the airplane. However, there is a curtain that would normally obscure the paper work unless someone deliberately pulls the curtain aside to look at it. Supplemental information from acn 303590: certificates are posted in the rear of the aircraft by the passenger door and I feel if they were more readily located near the cockpit, they could be more readily verified during the cockpit inspection. I personally have learned that I must not only verify that all certificates are on the aircraft but to check each corresponding number on it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 3 OF OVER 50 CAPTS SENT IN AN ASRS RPT CONCERNING THEIR HAVING FLOWN AN AIRPLANE WITH ITS DOCUMENTATION AND PAPER WORK FLAWED.

Narrative: DISCOVERED THAT I HAD OPERATED ACFT WITHOUT THE PROPER N- NUMBER ON AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE. ACFT HAD BEEN ON LINE AT OUR REGIONAL AIRLINE FOR MORE THAN 1 MONTH, AND FLOWN BY OVER 50 DIFFERENT CREW MEMBERS. I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO ACFT DOCUMENTS BEFORE ACCEPTING ACFT. WILL DEFINITELY INCLUDE THESE DOCUMENTS IN MUCH GREATER DETAIL WHEN EXAMINING ACFT DURING PREFLT. WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE CERTIFICATES BE LOCATED IN THE COCKPIT INSTEAD OF AT THE ACFT ENTRANCE. THIS WAY, THEY WOULD BE EXAMINED WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS DURING PREFLT MUCH EARLIER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE DISCREPANCY WAS DISCOVERED ON THE WALK AROUND. THE AIRPLANE HAD TO GET A SPECIAL FERRY PERMIT TO BE FLOWN TO WHERE THE PROPER PAPER WORK AND DOCUMENTATION COULD BE PLACED ON THE AIRPLANE BEFORE PAX COULD BE CARRIED. THE DOCUMENTATION IS PHYSICALLY LOCATED WHERE THE PAX WILL PASS BY ON ENTERING AND LEAVING THE AIRPLANE. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CURTAIN THAT WOULD NORMALLY OBSCURE THE PAPER WORK UNLESS SOMEONE DELIBERATELY PULLS THE CURTAIN ASIDE TO LOOK AT IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 303590: CERTIFICATES ARE POSTED IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT BY THE PAX DOOR AND I FEEL IF THEY WERE MORE READILY LOCATED NEAR THE COCKPIT, THEY COULD BE MORE READILY VERIFIED DURING THE COCKPIT INSPECTION. I PERSONALLY HAVE LEARNED THAT I MUST NOT ONLY VERIFY THAT ALL CERTIFICATES ARE ON THE ACFT BUT TO CHK EACH CORRESPONDING NUMBER ON IT.

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.