Narrative:

I've been a single pilot far part 135 operator since 1984 operating various aircraft over the yrs. I've been operating a single beechcraft baron 58 since 1993. In all those yrs, I have maintained my aircraft to the highest standards and received many compliments on the quality of my maintenance records by FAA personnel. Since I started using this aircraft it has been maintained on a progressive maintenance inspection program which requires 6 separate inspections at 50 hour intervals to make up 1 cycle. The program was originally set up by beechcraft to allow for 1 complete cycle to be completed in a 24 month time period similar to that which is required on turbine aircraft. Beech inserted a page into the general program noting that until the regulations were changed that the program would require a 12 month time period within which to complete a full cycle. Up until a few months ago, I had been flying my aircraft well in excess of the 300 hours within the 12 month period that is required to maintain the aircraft on the program. Furthermore the program allows that if the required inspections are not completed within the 12 month requirement, the remaining inspections could be completed to retain the aircraft on the progressive inspection program. Since I had been flying so much for the last 17 yrs as an far part 135 operator and with this aircraft for the last nearly 9 yrs, I basically lost sight of the calendar requirement for the inspection period but rather had focused solely on the aircraft time interval. Although I have a maintenance record sheet in the aircraft which reminds me of the due times and dates of various required inspections items (re-weigh, fire extinguishers, ELT, etc) which included the aircraft inspection time, I never included the calendar time limit for the complete cycle. This is perhaps the one single thing that, had I included it, would have prevented this terrible oversight on my part. As I was reviewing the aircraft maintenance records for an upcoming 6 month check ride, I discovered, much to my horror, that I had failed to make the inspection within the calendar time limit. In all my yrs as a pilot (since 1977) and a mechanic (since 1979) I have never had any sort of violation or complaint against me. I feel terribly distraught and frankly scared that all my good deeds and best efforts will be ignored if FAA discovers my blunder. I plan to proceed with the provisions of the voluntary self disclosure program.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE58 PLT, MECH EXCEEDED THE CALENDAR LIMITS ON A PROGRESSIVE MAINT INSPECTION PROGRAM.

Narrative: I'VE BEEN A SINGLE PLT FAR PART 135 OPERATOR SINCE 1984 OPERATING VARIOUS ACFT OVER THE YRS. I'VE BEEN OPERATING A SINGLE BEECHCRAFT BARON 58 SINCE 1993. IN ALL THOSE YRS, I HAVE MAINTAINED MY ACFT TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS AND RECEIVED MANY COMPLIMENTS ON THE QUALITY OF MY MAINT RECORDS BY FAA PERSONNEL. SINCE I STARTED USING THIS ACFT IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ON A PROGRESSIVE MAINT INSPECTION PROGRAM WHICH REQUIRES 6 SEPARATE INSPECTIONS AT 50 HR INTERVALS TO MAKE UP 1 CYCLE. THE PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY SET UP BY BEECHCRAFT TO ALLOW FOR 1 COMPLETE CYCLE TO BE COMPLETED IN A 24 MONTH TIME PERIOD SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH IS REQUIRED ON TURBINE ACFT. BEECH INSERTED A PAGE INTO THE GENERAL PROGRAM NOTING THAT UNTIL THE REGS WERE CHANGED THAT THE PROGRAM WOULD REQUIRE A 12 MONTH TIME PERIOD WITHIN WHICH TO COMPLETE A FULL CYCLE. UP UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO, I HAD BEEN FLYING MY ACFT WELL IN EXCESS OF THE 300 HRS WITHIN THE 12 MONTH PERIOD THAT IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE ACFT ON THE PROGRAM. FURTHERMORE THE PROGRAM ALLOWS THAT IF THE REQUIRED INSPECTIONS ARE NOT COMPLETED WITHIN THE 12 MONTH REQUIREMENT, THE REMAINING INSPECTIONS COULD BE COMPLETED TO RETAIN THE ACFT ON THE PROGRESSIVE INSPECTION PROGRAM. SINCE I HAD BEEN FLYING SO MUCH FOR THE LAST 17 YRS AS AN FAR PART 135 OPERATOR AND WITH THIS ACFT FOR THE LAST NEARLY 9 YRS, I BASICALLY LOST SIGHT OF THE CALENDAR REQUIREMENT FOR THE INSPECTION PERIOD BUT RATHER HAD FOCUSED SOLELY ON THE ACFT TIME INTERVAL. ALTHOUGH I HAVE A MAINT RECORD SHEET IN THE ACFT WHICH REMINDS ME OF THE DUE TIMES AND DATES OF VARIOUS REQUIRED INSPECTIONS ITEMS (RE-WEIGH, FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, ELT, ETC) WHICH INCLUDED THE ACFT INSPECTION TIME, I NEVER INCLUDED THE CALENDAR TIME LIMIT FOR THE COMPLETE CYCLE. THIS IS PERHAPS THE ONE SINGLE THING THAT, HAD I INCLUDED IT, WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS TERRIBLE OVERSIGHT ON MY PART. AS I WAS REVIEWING THE ACFT MAINT RECORDS FOR AN UPCOMING 6 MONTH CHK RIDE, I DISCOVERED, MUCH TO MY HORROR, THAT I HAD FAILED TO MAKE THE INSPECTION WITHIN THE CALENDAR TIME LIMIT. IN ALL MY YRS AS A PLT (SINCE 1977) AND A MECH (SINCE 1979) I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY SORT OF VIOLATION OR COMPLAINT AGAINST ME. I FEEL TERRIBLY DISTRAUGHT AND FRANKLY SCARED THAT ALL MY GOOD DEEDS AND BEST EFFORTS WILL BE IGNORED IF FAA DISCOVERS MY BLUNDER. I PLAN TO PROCEED WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE VOLUNTARY SELF DISCLOSURE PROGRAM.

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.