A piper PA28 was dispatched and operated in non compliance with no required fuel tank placarding.

Attributes
ACN	486524
Time
Date	200009
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 320 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	486524
Person 2
Affiliation	company other
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : person 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

The airplane was repainted in july of this year, the company that did the painting was asked to placard the airplane in accordance with the FARS. The company that did the painting signed the airplane back into service. Starting on sep/wed/00 the airplane was used at a flight school for training. The flight school's maintenance department checked out the airplane on sep/wed/00 and felt that it was in accordance with all applicable FARS and was ok for the training to take place. After the training, the maintenance department -- with what I feel was malicious intent -- gave me a sheet with 3 items that they said were not in accordance with the FARS. The first 2 items were equipment that I tested and found not to be faulty. The reason I am sending this report is because the last item on this list was the placarding by the fuel tanks. The maintenance department told me I was in violation of far 91.213. I did look up the far and did not find any mention of the placard for the fuel tank. In my opinion the airplane was airworthy and did not pose any risk to safety, so I did fly back to the maintenance shop that is familiar with this airplane. At our instruction our a&P reviewed the list and did find that the quantity level for the fuel tank was omitted from the fuel tank placard. The new fuel tank placards are being installed per the FARS and the poh before the airplane is operated again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER PA28 WAS DISPATCHED AND OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH NO REQUIRED FUEL TANK PLACARDING.

Narrative: THE AIRPLANE WAS REPAINTED IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, THE COMPANY THAT DID THE PAINTING WAS ASKED TO PLACARD THE AIRPLANE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FARS. THE COMPANY THAT DID THE PAINTING SIGNED THE AIRPLANE BACK INTO SVC. STARTING ON SEP/WED/00 THE AIRPLANE WAS USED AT A FLT SCHOOL FOR TRAINING. THE FLT SCHOOL'S MAINT DEPT CHKED OUT THE AIRPLANE ON SEP/WED/00 AND FELT THAT IT WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE FARS AND WAS OK FOR THE TRAINING TO TAKE PLACE. AFTER THE TRAINING, THE MAINT DEPT -- WITH WHAT I FEEL WAS MALICIOUS INTENT -- GAVE ME A SHEET WITH 3 ITEMS THAT THEY SAID WERE NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FARS. THE FIRST 2 ITEMS WERE EQUIP THAT I TESTED AND FOUND NOT TO BE FAULTY. THE REASON I AM SENDING THIS RPT IS BECAUSE THE LAST ITEM ON THIS LIST WAS THE PLACARDING BY THE FUEL TANKS. THE MAINT DEPT TOLD ME I WAS IN VIOLATION OF FAR 91.213. I DID LOOK UP THE FAR AND DID NOT FIND ANY MENTION OF THE PLACARD FOR THE FUEL TANK. IN MY OPINION THE AIRPLANE WAS AIRWORTHY AND DID NOT POSE ANY RISK TO SAFETY, SO I DID FLY BACK TO THE MAINT SHOP THAT IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS AIRPLANE. AT OUR INSTRUCTION OUR A&P REVIEWED THE LIST AND DID FIND THAT THE QUANTITY LEVEL FOR THE FUEL TANK WAS OMITTED FROM THE FUEL TANK PLACARD. THE NEW FUEL TANK PLACARDS ARE BEING INSTALLED PER THE FARS AND THE POH BEFORE THE AIRPLANE IS OPERATED AGAIN.

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.