MD82 flight crew operated aircraft without the airworthiness certificate installed.

Attributes
ACN	519596
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 8800 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	519596
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7700 flight time type : 1470
ASRS Report	519591
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft was released from maintenance after a 'C' check. Aircraft logbook contained a signature certifying aircraft was released and in airworthy condition. Airworthiness certificate, registration and fee permit was displayed on inside of cockpit door, but airworthiness certificate had been removed and not replaced. Crew requirements are to ensure required manuals, MEL and aircraft logbook are contained on the aircraft. Crew must certify that no 'open write-ups' are in the logbook and the logbook contains an airworthiness release signature. These requirements were met, according to company operating manuals. Maintenance procedures dictate that prior to signing the airworthiness release, the aircraft is in an airworthy condition and aircraft registration. Airworthiness certificate and fee permit are on the aircraft. These requirements were not met, according to company maintenance operating manuals. Crew unknowingly operated the aircraft without the airworthiness certificate installed. Maintenance needs to follow established quality control standards, or revise their procedures to eliminate omission of critical steps.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD82 FLC OPERATED ACFT WITHOUT THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE INSTALLED.

Narrative: ACFT WAS RELEASED FROM MAINT AFTER A 'C' CHK. ACFT LOGBOOK CONTAINED A SIGNATURE CERTIFYING ACFT WAS RELEASED AND IN AIRWORTHY CONDITION. AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE, REGISTRATION AND FEE PERMIT WAS DISPLAYED ON INSIDE OF COCKPIT DOOR, BUT AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE HAD BEEN REMOVED AND NOT REPLACED. CREW REQUIREMENTS ARE TO ENSURE REQUIRED MANUALS, MEL AND ACFT LOGBOOK ARE CONTAINED ON THE ACFT. CREW MUST CERTIFY THAT NO 'OPEN WRITE-UPS' ARE IN THE LOGBOOK AND THE LOGBOOK CONTAINS AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE SIGNATURE. THESE REQUIREMENTS WERE MET, ACCORDING TO COMPANY OPERATING MANUALS. MAINT PROCS DICTATE THAT PRIOR TO SIGNING THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE, THE ACFT IS IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION AND ACFT REGISTRATION. AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND FEE PERMIT ARE ON THE ACFT. THESE REQUIREMENTS WERE NOT MET, ACCORDING TO COMPANY MAINT OPERATING MANUALS. CREW UNKNOWINGLY OPERATED THE ACFT WITHOUT THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE INSTALLED. MAINT NEEDS TO FOLLOW ESTABLISHED QUALITY CTL STANDARDS, OR REVISE THEIR PROCS TO ELIMINATE OMISSION OF CRITICAL STEPS.

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.