FBO mechanic reports to FAA that a private owner pilot operated his aircraft in an unairworthy condi...

Attributes
ACN	337510
Time
Date	199603
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dkk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 L
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	337510
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

FBO, dunkirk, ny, did annual before expiration may/96. Not signed off. Manager, mr. X, calls to tell me to fix an oil leak myself -- come and get your aircraft (may/sun/96), fix it, let me know what you did to repair it, if any, and 'I'll sign logbooks to complete annual.' may/thu/96 FAA inspector from rochester, ny, sends me letter regarding aircraft not airworthy. How was it flown? Send copies of annual inspection in logs. I was not told aircraft was not airworthy, only 'pick it up and fix it yourself to save you some money.' FBO mechanic called FAA to report my particular aircraft as not airworthy -- not known to me. Now I have the frustration of answering to FAA and looking for something wrong myself after owing for an annual inspection. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that after an extensive investigation by the FAA, there was no evidence that engine oil leak existed and that the mechanic's reason for making the false report was to 'get his employer in trouble!' the FAA inspector has notified the reporter that there was no finding of wrong doing and that the case had been closed. However, the investigation did cost the reporter approximately $2000 and chipped engine cowling paint.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FBO MECH RPTS TO FAA THAT A PVT OWNER PLT OPERATED HIS ACFT IN AN UNAIRWORTHY CONDITION DUE TO AN EXCESSIVE ENG OIL LEAK ON HIS MOONEY M20L.

Narrative: FBO, DUNKIRK, NY, DID ANNUAL BEFORE EXPIRATION MAY/96. NOT SIGNED OFF. MGR, MR. X, CALLS TO TELL ME TO FIX AN OIL LEAK MYSELF -- COME AND GET YOUR ACFT (MAY/SUN/96), FIX IT, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO REPAIR IT, IF ANY, AND 'I'LL SIGN LOGBOOKS TO COMPLETE ANNUAL.' MAY/THU/96 FAA INSPECTOR FROM ROCHESTER, NY, SENDS ME LETTER REGARDING ACFT NOT AIRWORTHY. HOW WAS IT FLOWN? SEND COPIES OF ANNUAL INSPECTION IN LOGS. I WAS NOT TOLD ACFT WAS NOT AIRWORTHY, ONLY 'PICK IT UP AND FIX IT YOURSELF TO SAVE YOU SOME MONEY.' FBO MECH CALLED FAA TO RPT MY PARTICULAR ACFT AS NOT AIRWORTHY -- NOT KNOWN TO ME. NOW I HAVE THE FRUSTRATION OF ANSWERING TO FAA AND LOOKING FOR SOMETHING WRONG MYSELF AFTER OWING FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT AFTER AN EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT ENG OIL LEAK EXISTED AND THAT THE MECH'S REASON FOR MAKING THE FALSE RPT WAS TO 'GET HIS EMPLOYER IN TROUBLE!' THE FAA INSPECTOR HAS NOTIFIED THE RPTR THAT THERE WAS NO FINDING OF WRONG DOING AND THAT THE CASE HAD BEEN CLOSED. HOWEVER, THE INVESTIGATION DID COST THE RPTR APPROX $2000 AND CHIPPED ENG COWLING PAINT.

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.

FBO mechanic reports to FAA that a private owner pilot operated his aircraft in an unairworthy condition due to an excessive engine oil leak on his mooney M20L.