Narrative:

Pleasure flight from 27C to 50G, mi, for lunch. My wife and I walked back to the airport after lunch and met an FAA inspector on the airport investigating an accident from 2 days prior. We talked a few mins and he asked 'is this your personal aircraft?' 'yes' I replied. 'Did you know your ELT antenna is missing?' 'no, I didn't happen to notice it,' I replied. 'They can break off any time,' he said. My wife asked me 'what are you going to do about it?' I said 'I'll buy a new one.' we discussed local accidents, etc, another 10 mins and were readying for departure. Inspector asked if I had an MEL. I replied 'I don't think so, not for this little airplane.' (cherokee 180). He asked 'what are you going to do?' I replied 'I'll have to placard it inoperative.' 'oh yeah,' he said. At this point, I understand his response to be in agreement with my planned corrective action. (Placard the panel 'ELT inoperative.') as we flew home, I kept thinking about his MEL question. After returning home, I checked the regulations concerning inoperative equipment, MEL, and ELT's. The proper corrective action per 91.207 was to remove the ELT, make a maintenance record entry stating date, make, model, serial number and reason for removal, and placard the panel 'ELT not installed.' being a licensed mechanic, I could have easily accomplished this if I had been aware of the need to. I don't know if the inspector remembered this particular regulation or not. From now on, I will always keep a copy of the FARS in the aircraft for reference. I need to review the FARS frequently. I should have discussed the situation at great length with the inspector to be sure we had a consensus of opinion. I don't know if an MEL had anything to do with my 25 yr old, part 91 airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISSING ELT (EMER LOCATOR XPONDER) ANTENNA. FARS NOT COMPLIED WITH.

Narrative: PLEASURE FLT FROM 27C TO 50G, MI, FOR LUNCH. MY WIFE AND I WALKED BACK TO THE ARPT AFTER LUNCH AND MET AN FAA INSPECTOR ON THE ARPT INVESTIGATING AN ACCIDENT FROM 2 DAYS PRIOR. WE TALKED A FEW MINS AND HE ASKED 'IS THIS YOUR PERSONAL ACFT?' 'YES' I REPLIED. 'DID YOU KNOW YOUR ELT ANTENNA IS MISSING?' 'NO, I DIDN'T HAPPEN TO NOTICE IT,' I REPLIED. 'THEY CAN BREAK OFF ANY TIME,' HE SAID. MY WIFE ASKED ME 'WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?' I SAID 'I'LL BUY A NEW ONE.' WE DISCUSSED LCL ACCIDENTS, ETC, ANOTHER 10 MINS AND WERE READYING FOR DEP. INSPECTOR ASKED IF I HAD AN MEL. I REPLIED 'I DON'T THINK SO, NOT FOR THIS LITTLE AIRPLANE.' (CHEROKEE 180). HE ASKED 'WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?' I REPLIED 'I'LL HAVE TO PLACARD IT INOP.' 'OH YEAH,' HE SAID. AT THIS POINT, I UNDERSTAND HIS RESPONSE TO BE IN AGREEMENT WITH MY PLANNED CORRECTIVE ACTION. (PLACARD THE PANEL 'ELT INOP.') AS WE FLEW HOME, I KEPT THINKING ABOUT HIS MEL QUESTION. AFTER RETURNING HOME, I CHKED THE REGS CONCERNING INOP EQUIP, MEL, AND ELT'S. THE PROPER CORRECTIVE ACTION PER 91.207 WAS TO REMOVE THE ELT, MAKE A MAINT RECORD ENTRY STATING DATE, MAKE, MODEL, SERIAL NUMBER AND REASON FOR REMOVAL, AND PLACARD THE PANEL 'ELT NOT INSTALLED.' BEING A LICENSED MECH, I COULD HAVE EASILY ACCOMPLISHED THIS IF I HAD BEEN AWARE OF THE NEED TO. I DON'T KNOW IF THE INSPECTOR REMEMBERED THIS PARTICULAR REG OR NOT. FROM NOW ON, I WILL ALWAYS KEEP A COPY OF THE FARS IN THE ACFT FOR REF. I NEED TO REVIEW THE FARS FREQUENTLY. I SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED THE SIT AT GREAT LENGTH WITH THE INSPECTOR TO BE SURE WE HAD A CONSENSUS OF OPINION. I DON'T KNOW IF AN MEL HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY 25 YR OLD, PART 91 AIRPLANE.

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.