Narrative:

Aircraft was purchased in the united kingdom for use in the united states. To prepare it for the flight to the united states, a united kingdom maintenance organization with an FAA a&P/ia (I didn't check his license) performed an annual inspection and requested a ferry permit. As I returned to the united states, after buying the plane, I was unable to oversee any maintenance actions. They installed ferry tanks, but due to some confusion over applicable regulations and as the anticipated legs were only 600+ mi, I requested the ferry tanks be removed. The maintenance company confirmed that all work and documentation were complete. A very large bill was paid, and the pilot departed for the united states. An electrical failure en route caused a precautionary landing and the aircraft again entered maintenance with another organization. After 5 months delay and extensive work, the aircraft was again presented as ready for the flight with appropriate documents. A very large bill was paid and the aircraft was flown to the united states. During the entire time I was in the united states attempting to have the plane made airworthy via transatlantic phone calls. In this time I dealt with an endless number of mechanics, technicians and mgrs whom I assumed to be competent. Upon arrival in the united states, the customs inspector pointed out that plumbing for a ferry tank was still installed with no -337 and that other paperwork, including the ferry permit, were not completed to his satisfaction. Corrective action: when an aircraft is released from major maintenance, the owner should be present and confirm in person that all required work and documentation has been completed to include annuals and, in this case, 337's and ferry permits. Documents should be complete and accurate and the workmens' licenses should be checked. Even though properly licensed, the maintenance organizations should not be accepted at face value.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNITED STATES GOV INSPECTORS FOUND A PIPER PA30 DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER AND COMPLETED PAPERWORK FOR ITS FERRY FLT INTO THE USA FROM OUT OF THE COUNTRY. THE RPTING OWNER FOUND THE SIT VERY DIFFICULT AFTER PAYING FOREIGN MECHS AND MAINT FACILITIES TO PUT THE ACFT IN ACCEPTABLE EXPORT SIGNOFF, AND CONDITION, FOR FERRY FLT INTO THE UNITED STATES.

Narrative: ACFT WAS PURCHASED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR USE IN THE UNITED STATES. TO PREPARE IT FOR THE FLT TO THE UNITED STATES, A UNITED KINGDOM MAINT ORGANIZATION WITH AN FAA A&P/IA (I DIDN'T CHK HIS LICENSE) PERFORMED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AND REQUESTED A FERRY PERMIT. AS I RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES, AFTER BUYING THE PLANE, I WAS UNABLE TO OVERSEE ANY MAINT ACTIONS. THEY INSTALLED FERRY TANKS, BUT DUE TO SOME CONFUSION OVER APPLICABLE REGS AND AS THE ANTICIPATED LEGS WERE ONLY 600+ MI, I REQUESTED THE FERRY TANKS BE REMOVED. THE MAINT COMPANY CONFIRMED THAT ALL WORK AND DOCUMENTATION WERE COMPLETE. A VERY LARGE BILL WAS PAID, AND THE PLT DEPARTED FOR THE UNITED STATES. AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE ENRTE CAUSED A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AND THE ACFT AGAIN ENTERED MAINT WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION. AFTER 5 MONTHS DELAY AND EXTENSIVE WORK, THE ACFT WAS AGAIN PRESENTED AS READY FOR THE FLT WITH APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTS. A VERY LARGE BILL WAS PAID AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO THE UNITED STATES. DURING THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS IN THE UNITED STATES ATTEMPTING TO HAVE THE PLANE MADE AIRWORTHY VIA TRANSATLANTIC PHONE CALLS. IN THIS TIME I DEALT WITH AN ENDLESS NUMBER OF MECHS, TECHNICIANS AND MGRS WHOM I ASSUMED TO BE COMPETENT. UPON ARR IN THE UNITED STATES, THE CUSTOMS INSPECTOR POINTED OUT THAT PLUMBING FOR A FERRY TANK WAS STILL INSTALLED WITH NO -337 AND THAT OTHER PAPERWORK, INCLUDING THE FERRY PERMIT, WERE NOT COMPLETED TO HIS SATISFACTION. CORRECTIVE ACTION: WHEN AN ACFT IS RELEASED FROM MAJOR MAINT, THE OWNER SHOULD BE PRESENT AND CONFIRM IN PERSON THAT ALL REQUIRED WORK AND DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED TO INCLUDE ANNUALS AND, IN THIS CASE, 337'S AND FERRY PERMITS. DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE AND THE WORKMENS' LICENSES SHOULD BE CHKED. EVEN THOUGH PROPERLY LICENSED, THE MAINT ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED AT FACE VALUE.

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.