Rented PA34 aircraft had numerous inoperative items that were not being properly documented or maint...

Attributes
ACN	519447
Time
Date	200107
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-34-200T Turbo Seneca II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	519447
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Issue concerns FBO safety procedures and documentation of rental aircraft. Seneca was rented by me between may/01-jun/01. Flts were checked out with FBO CFI. I noted several maintenance items: fuel leaks, inoperative magnetic compass, inoperative right engine pressure gauge/pump. Items were noted on time sheets and verbally reported. None had been placarded. I left several messages for both aircraft owner (leased back) and FBO manager. My calls were not returned, however, I was 'administratively' grounded. I had requested to review the aircraft logs and was declined. Also, requested to review aircraft discrepancy log and was told none existed. Line personnel told me that aircraft is flown by owner, both VFR and IFR, with unplacarded and inoperative magnetic compass. I believe aircraft is being rented in violation of far 91.205(B) and (D) and 91.405. The aircraft is an accident waiting to happen. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: analyst contacted reporter and, when asked, gave him the FAA hot line number. Analyst and pilot discussed contacting the local FAA FSDO office.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RENTED PA34 ACFT HAD NUMEROUS INOP ITEMS THAT WERE NOT BEING PROPERLY DOCUMENTED OR MAINTAINED BY THE RENTAL FBO.

Narrative: ISSUE CONCERNS FBO SAFETY PROCS AND DOCUMENTATION OF RENTAL ACFT. SENECA WAS RENTED BY ME BTWN MAY/01-JUN/01. FLTS WERE CHKED OUT WITH FBO CFI. I NOTED SEVERAL MAINT ITEMS: FUEL LEAKS, INOP MAGNETIC COMPASS, INOP R ENG PRESSURE GAUGE/PUMP. ITEMS WERE NOTED ON TIME SHEETS AND VERBALLY RPTED. NONE HAD BEEN PLACARDED. I LEFT SEVERAL MESSAGES FOR BOTH ACFT OWNER (LEASED BACK) AND FBO MGR. MY CALLS WERE NOT RETURNED, HOWEVER, I WAS 'ADMINISTRATIVELY' GNDED. I HAD REQUESTED TO REVIEW THE ACFT LOGS AND WAS DECLINED. ALSO, REQUESTED TO REVIEW ACFT DISCREPANCY LOG AND WAS TOLD NONE EXISTED. LINE PERSONNEL TOLD ME THAT ACFT IS FLOWN BY OWNER, BOTH VFR AND IFR, WITH UNPLACARDED AND INOP MAGNETIC COMPASS. I BELIEVE ACFT IS BEING RENTED IN VIOLATION OF FAR 91.205(B) AND (D) AND 91.405. THE ACFT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ANALYST CONTACTED RPTR AND, WHEN ASKED, GAVE HIM THE FAA HOT LINE NUMBER. ANALYST AND PLT DISCUSSED CONTACTING THE LCL FAA FSDO OFFICE.

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.

Rented PA34 aircraft had numerous inoperative items that were not being properly documented or maintained by the rental FBO.