Instructor pilot of a piper PA28R-180 ferried the aircraft back to home base with a known cracked en...

Attributes
ACN	360747
Time
Date	199702
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aoo
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cmh
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 1180 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	360747
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am a CFI. A renter pilot rented our PA28R-180 and lost the alternator. He landed in aoo. The next day another CFI and myself flew out to have the aircraft fixed and pick him up. Upon arrival the maintenance shop said that they could replace the alternator and we could take the aircraft home. They also said that they noticed the engine mount brace was cracked, but that that was common. I called our mechanic (also aircraft owner) and told him the situation. He said no problem, fix the alternator, fly home and he would take care of the mount. We told the shop our plans so they fixed the alternator, tested it, and fueled the aircraft and said all was ok and I could take it home. The next day the 2 maintenance shops fought over the maintenance and the aoo shop called their FSDO regarding aircraft ferried with no permit. The only thing that has been said is to our maintenance shop regarding ferry procedures. I'm concerned because I was PIC. 1) who determines if aircraft needs a ferry permit? 2) maintenance shop released aircraft for flight with no mention of permit. 3) asked my mechanic and he said aircraft airworthy to fly home. 4) because brace was cracked does that mean aircraft is unairworthy? 5) when aoo maintenance shop released aircraft to me for flight, isn't that verification of airworthiness? 6) since I was PIC and I deemed aircraft airworthy, is it?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT OF A PIPER PA28R-180 FERRIED THE ACFT BACK TO HOME BASE WITH A KNOWN CRACKED ENG MOUNT WITHOUT A FAA FERRY PERMIT. THE MAINT PERSONNEL INVOLVED ADVISED THAT IT WAS NO PROB TO FLY ACFT TO HOME BASE AND DID NOT MENTION NEED FOR FERRY PERMIT.

Narrative: I AM A CFI. A RENTER PLT RENTED OUR PA28R-180 AND LOST THE ALTERNATOR. HE LANDED IN AOO. THE NEXT DAY ANOTHER CFI AND MYSELF FLEW OUT TO HAVE THE ACFT FIXED AND PICK HIM UP. UPON ARR THE MAINT SHOP SAID THAT THEY COULD REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AND WE COULD TAKE THE ACFT HOME. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY NOTICED THE ENG MOUNT BRACE WAS CRACKED, BUT THAT THAT WAS COMMON. I CALLED OUR MECH (ALSO ACFT OWNER) AND TOLD HIM THE SIT. HE SAID NO PROB, FIX THE ALTERNATOR, FLY HOME AND HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE MOUNT. WE TOLD THE SHOP OUR PLANS SO THEY FIXED THE ALTERNATOR, TESTED IT, AND FUELED THE ACFT AND SAID ALL WAS OK AND I COULD TAKE IT HOME. THE NEXT DAY THE 2 MAINT SHOPS FOUGHT OVER THE MAINT AND THE AOO SHOP CALLED THEIR FSDO REGARDING ACFT FERRIED WITH NO PERMIT. THE ONLY THING THAT HAS BEEN SAID IS TO OUR MAINT SHOP REGARDING FERRY PROCS. I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE I WAS PIC. 1) WHO DETERMINES IF ACFT NEEDS A FERRY PERMIT? 2) MAINT SHOP RELEASED ACFT FOR FLT WITH NO MENTION OF PERMIT. 3) ASKED MY MECH AND HE SAID ACFT AIRWORTHY TO FLY HOME. 4) BECAUSE BRACE WAS CRACKED DOES THAT MEAN ACFT IS UNAIRWORTHY? 5) WHEN AOO MAINT SHOP RELEASED ACFT TO ME FOR FLT, ISN'T THAT VERIFICATION OF AIRWORTHINESS? 6) SINCE I WAS PIC AND I DEEMED ACFT AIRWORTHY, IS 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.

Instructor pilot of a piper PA28R-180 ferried the aircraft back to home base with a known cracked engine mount without a FAA ferry permit. The maintenance personnel involved advised that it was no problem to fly aircraft to home base and did not mention need for ferry permit.