Narrative:

The problem was a logbook sign-off after an annual inspection was completed. The inspection was signed off by the ia and the bi-annual VFR transponder altimeter check was completed by a shop off field. The paperwork to include the receipt of work and the sticker for the logbook was completed. The owner had misplaced the sticker for the logbook. The owner had an incident. I was notified of this incident (gear up landing) by the owner. He asked me to inspect the airplane, which I did. Upon a review of his logbooks, I noticed that the sticker for the transponder altimeter check was never pasted into the book. I took it upon myself to sign the transponder altimeter check sign-off. Since I had witnessed the inspection by the shop (where I had been a supervisor and had trained the employee who performed the work). I felt it was ok for me to sign the logbook and I told the owner that I would have a replacement sticker sent to him. I also told him to show his receipt if anyone questioned that the work had been completed. In retrospect, I should have waited for the replacement sticker to come, and not have signed off the logbook. My question is, I previously worked for the shop who did the work, trained the person who did the work and witnessed the work being performed, as verified by shop receipts and the replacement sticker. Can I sign this off, or do I actually need to work for the shop. After numerous discussions with fellow mechanics I received a mix of opinions. I now feel the sign-off may have been inappropriate, but the new sticker is applied. My corrective action is never to sign off this type of check and have the appropriate shop apply their sticker, not the owner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA24 A&P MECH SIGNED OFF THE ACFT BIANNUAL XPONDER AND ALTIMETER CHK WHEN HE ONLY WITNESSED IT BEING ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: THE PROB WAS A LOGBOOK SIGN-OFF AFTER AN ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED. THE INSPECTION WAS SIGNED OFF BY THE IA AND THE BI-ANNUAL VFR XPONDER ALTIMETER CHK WAS COMPLETED BY A SHOP OFF FIELD. THE PAPERWORK TO INCLUDE THE RECEIPT OF WORK AND THE STICKER FOR THE LOGBOOK WAS COMPLETED. THE OWNER HAD MISPLACED THE STICKER FOR THE LOGBOOK. THE OWNER HAD AN INCIDENT. I WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS INCIDENT (GEAR UP LNDG) BY THE OWNER. HE ASKED ME TO INSPECT THE AIRPLANE, WHICH I DID. UPON A REVIEW OF HIS LOGBOOKS, I NOTICED THAT THE STICKER FOR THE XPONDER ALTIMETER CHK WAS NEVER PASTED INTO THE BOOK. I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO SIGN THE XPONDER ALTIMETER CHK SIGN-OFF. SINCE I HAD WITNESSED THE INSPECTION BY THE SHOP (WHERE I HAD BEEN A SUPVR AND HAD TRAINED THE EMPLOYEE WHO PERFORMED THE WORK). I FELT IT WAS OK FOR ME TO SIGN THE LOGBOOK AND I TOLD THE OWNER THAT I WOULD HAVE A REPLACEMENT STICKER SENT TO HIM. I ALSO TOLD HIM TO SHOW HIS RECEIPT IF ANYONE QUESTIONED THAT THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR THE REPLACEMENT STICKER TO COME, AND NOT HAVE SIGNED OFF THE LOGBOOK. MY QUESTION IS, I PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR THE SHOP WHO DID THE WORK, TRAINED THE PERSON WHO DID THE WORK AND WITNESSED THE WORK BEING PERFORMED, AS VERIFIED BY SHOP RECEIPTS AND THE REPLACEMENT STICKER. CAN I SIGN THIS OFF, OR DO I ACTUALLY NEED TO WORK FOR THE SHOP. AFTER NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS WITH FELLOW MECHS I RECEIVED A MIX OF OPINIONS. I NOW FEEL THE SIGN-OFF MAY HAVE BEEN INAPPROPRIATE, BUT THE NEW STICKER IS APPLIED. MY CORRECTIVE ACTION IS NEVER TO SIGN OFF THIS TYPE OF CHK AND HAVE THE APPROPRIATE SHOP APPLY THEIR STICKER, NOT THE OWNER.

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.