Narrative:

The following facts relate to the unauthorized installation of unapproved parts by the owner/pilot on a beechcraft bonanza, H model, and the subsequent flight of an unairworthy aircraft at titusville-cocoa space center executive airport on apr/sun/95. On apr/sat/95 I was engaged by private pilot to furnish flight instruction to him in a 1959 H model bonanza. The said flight instruction began on the morning of apr/sat/95 and commenced with very basic airwork generally considered to be aircraft and system familiarization in and around the tix airport area. At the conclusion of this first period, the aircraft was landed and after a short period of debriefing, the aircraft was restarted whereupon it was determined there was no output from the aircraft alternator/charging system. Further examination revealed a broken alternator belt. Mr. X produced a replacement alternator belt which had, at some earlier date, been purchased from an automatic parts store. He requested that I install this belt and, as an ia, proclaim the aircraft to be airworthy and approved for return to service. I declined this action and advised him to obtain an approved part from 1 of the 2 FBO's on the airport. I further advised him that I would take this time to go to lunch and accomplish other personal errands. He could expect my return in 3 hours or approximately XC00. Upon my return the aircraft was represented to be repaired with an approved part and functioning normally. An operational check indicated a normally operating charging system. 2 subsequent flts were made this date. No further problems were encountered. On apr/sun/95 I again flew as instructor. All aircraft system operated normally. At the conclusion of this day's flying, I conducted a concluding summary of preflight items to be checked during his daily preflight inspections. It was at this time I discovered that he had misrepresented the true nature of his repair. He had in fact not obtained an approved alternator belt but had installed the automotive belt in its place and misrepresented his repairs as accomplished with approved parts. To my knowledge the aircraft was returned to its home base of page field at fort myers and is still being operated with this same automotive belt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OWNER OF AN SMA SEL HAS THE ALTERNATOR DRIVE BELT REPLACED WITH AN UNAPPROVED AUTOMOTIVE BELT.

Narrative: THE FOLLOWING FACTS RELATE TO THE UNAUTH INSTALLATION OF UNAPPROVED PARTS BY THE OWNER/PLT ON A BEECHCRAFT BONANZA, H MODEL, AND THE SUBSEQUENT FLT OF AN UNAIRWORTHY ACFT AT TITUSVILLE-COCOA SPACE CTR EXECUTIVE ARPT ON APR/SUN/95. ON APR/SAT/95 I WAS ENGAGED BY PVT PLT TO FURNISH FLT INSTRUCTION TO HIM IN A 1959 H MODEL BONANZA. THE SAID FLT INSTRUCTION BEGAN ON THE MORNING OF APR/SAT/95 AND COMMENCED WITH VERY BASIC AIRWORK GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE ACFT AND SYS FAMILIARIZATION IN AND AROUND THE TIX ARPT AREA. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS FIRST PERIOD, THE ACFT WAS LANDED AND AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF DEBRIEFING, THE ACFT WAS RESTARTED WHEREUPON IT WAS DETERMINED THERE WAS NO OUTPUT FROM THE ACFT ALTERNATOR/CHARGING SYS. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED A BROKEN ALTERNATOR BELT. MR. X PRODUCED A REPLACEMENT ALTERNATOR BELT WHICH HAD, AT SOME EARLIER DATE, BEEN PURCHASED FROM AN AUTO PARTS STORE. HE REQUESTED THAT I INSTALL THIS BELT AND, AS AN IA, PROCLAIM THE ACFT TO BE AIRWORTHY AND APPROVED FOR RETURN TO SVC. I DECLINED THIS ACTION AND ADVISED HIM TO OBTAIN AN APPROVED PART FROM 1 OF THE 2 FBO'S ON THE ARPT. I FURTHER ADVISED HIM THAT I WOULD TAKE THIS TIME TO GO TO LUNCH AND ACCOMPLISH OTHER PERSONAL ERRANDS. HE COULD EXPECT MY RETURN IN 3 HRS OR APPROX XC00. UPON MY RETURN THE ACFT WAS REPRESENTED TO BE REPAIRED WITH AN APPROVED PART AND FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. AN OPERATIONAL CHK INDICATED A NORMALLY OPERATING CHARGING SYS. 2 SUBSEQUENT FLTS WERE MADE THIS DATE. NO FURTHER PROBS WERE ENCOUNTERED. ON APR/SUN/95 I AGAIN FLEW AS INSTRUCTOR. ALL ACFT SYS OPERATED NORMALLY. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS DAY'S FLYING, I CONDUCTED A CONCLUDING SUMMARY OF PREFLT ITEMS TO BE CHKED DURING HIS DAILY PREFLT INSPECTIONS. IT WAS AT THIS TIME I DISCOVERED THAT HE HAD MISREPRESENTED THE TRUE NATURE OF HIS REPAIR. HE HAD IN FACT NOT OBTAINED AN APPROVED ALTERNATOR BELT BUT HAD INSTALLED THE AUTOMOTIVE BELT IN ITS PLACE AND MISREPRESENTED HIS REPAIRS AS ACCOMPLISHED WITH APPROVED PARTS. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO ITS HOME BASE OF PAGE FIELD AT FORT MYERS AND IS STILL BEING OPERATED WITH THIS SAME AUTOMOTIVE BELT.

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.