Narrative:

On or around sep/mon/04, I performed an annual inspection on a piper commanche twin PA30. The plane had many small discrepancies. So this in itself is not so unusual, but it comes on the heels of a nasty visit from the FAA -- specifically a guy named X. So, was this a surprise FAA maintenance (surveillance) plane or what? The plane was brought into our hangar with a certificate of airworthiness on display. Anyway, for the record, I may have missed some discrepancies, and may have even missed some airworthiness directives. We now use advantext. But some of the previous aircraft airworthiness directive lists seemed to be sketchy, although the work (on the previous accomplished airworthiness directives) seems to be in order. According to one FAA official, the policy used to be 'just airworthiness directives since the last annual, as well as recurring airworthiness directives.' now it seems that the policy is: 'you are responsible for all of the airworthiness directives, since the time that the aircraft was built.' does this means 45 yrs of airworthiness directives? (Note: it may be possible to go back and check every airworthiness directive on the aircraft itself, but in many instances, this requires some major disassembly, wing-de mate, engine removal, etc.) this isn't real practical but it's just like the FAA to try to hang all of the responsibility (45 yrs worth) on just the last guy that signs the logbook. One of the things that came to view was that the aircraft had a slightly different propeller on one side. (Bs versus bsf). I asked the local FBO to call the FAA and mr Y called back and said according to the tcd (type certificated data) sheet, we'd be just fine. So I returned it back to service.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA30 WAS IN A SHOP FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. TECHNICIAN WORKING THE INSPECTION RPTS HARASSMENT FROM LCL SAFETY INSPECTOR. ALSO RPTS DIFFICULTY OF NEW POLICY OF ACCOUNTING FOR 45 YRS OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES.

Narrative: ON OR AROUND SEP/MON/04, I PERFORMED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION ON A PIPER COMMANCHE TWIN PA30. THE PLANE HAD MANY SMALL DISCREPANCIES. SO THIS IN ITSELF IS NOT SO UNUSUAL, BUT IT COMES ON THE HEELS OF A NASTY VISIT FROM THE FAA -- SPECIFICALLY A GUY NAMED X. SO, WAS THIS A SURPRISE FAA MAINT (SURVEILLANCE) PLANE OR WHAT? THE PLANE WAS BROUGHT INTO OUR HANGAR WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AIRWORTHINESS ON DISPLAY. ANYWAY, FOR THE RECORD, I MAY HAVE MISSED SOME DISCREPANCIES, AND MAY HAVE EVEN MISSED SOME AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES. WE NOW USE ADVANTEXT. BUT SOME OF THE PREVIOUS ACFT AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE LISTS SEEMED TO BE SKETCHY, ALTHOUGH THE WORK (ON THE PREVIOUS ACCOMPLISHED AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES) SEEMS TO BE IN ORDER. ACCORDING TO ONE FAA OFFICIAL, THE POLICY USED TO BE 'JUST AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL, AS WELL AS RECURRING AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES.' NOW IT SEEMS THAT THE POLICY IS: 'YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES, SINCE THE TIME THAT THE ACFT WAS BUILT.' DOES THIS MEANS 45 YRS OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES? (NOTE: IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO GO BACK AND CHK EVERY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ON THE ACFT ITSELF, BUT IN MANY INSTANCES, THIS REQUIRES SOME MAJOR DISASSEMBLY, WING-DE MATE, ENG REMOVAL, ETC.) THIS ISN'T REAL PRACTICAL BUT IT'S JUST LIKE THE FAA TO TRY TO HANG ALL OF THE RESPONSIBILITY (45 YRS WORTH) ON JUST THE LAST GUY THAT SIGNS THE LOGBOOK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME TO VIEW WAS THAT THE ACFT HAD A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PROP ON ONE SIDE. (BS VERSUS BSF). I ASKED THE LCL FBO TO CALL THE FAA AND MR Y CALLED BACK AND SAID ACCORDING TO THE TCD (TYPE CERTIFICATED DATA) SHEET, WE'D BE JUST FINE. SO I RETURNED IT BACK TO SVC.

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.