A PA31 had an FAA ramp inspection and received an aircraft condition notice on illegal repair to lef...

Attributes
ACN	693893
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	693893
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On apr/thu/06 I arrived at my plane to discover an aircraft condition notice was attached to my plane. An FAA inspector did a ramp check on my aircraft and discovered that there were illegal repairs to my left and right spinners; along with a small hole in the trailing edge of my right aileron. I had just had both propellers overhauled to zero time. I have had the same spinners on the airplane ever since I purchased the airplane. At no time had I ever had any of the unauthorized repairs done to the spinners. I was also unaware that the spinners were illegal and not airworthy. I rely on my annual inspections and maintenance personnel to make me aware of such items. The plane has been through numerous annual inspections without mention of the spinner issue. Within the last yr; I have completely renovated this airplane with a new paint job; a new interior and new avionics panel. I have never intentionally flown the aircraft in violation of any FARS of manufacturer's requirements. How can I prevent this from happening or what caused this problem? The ia's all overlooked this issue -- for not just 1 annual; but at least 10+ yrs. I'm not certain how I could have done anything differently. I'd love to hear a suggestion as to how this matter could have been discovered if none of the ia's found the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA31 HAD AN FAA RAMP INSPECTION AND RECEIVED AN ACFT CONDITION NOTICE ON ILLEGAL REPAIR TO L AND R SPINNERS; ALSO A SMALL HOLE IN R AILERON.

Narrative: ON APR/THU/06 I ARRIVED AT MY PLANE TO DISCOVER AN ACFT CONDITION NOTICE WAS ATTACHED TO MY PLANE. AN FAA INSPECTOR DID A RAMP CHK ON MY ACFT AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE WERE ILLEGAL REPAIRS TO MY L AND R SPINNERS; ALONG WITH A SMALL HOLE IN THE TRAILING EDGE OF MY R AILERON. I HAD JUST HAD BOTH PROPS OVERHAULED TO ZERO TIME. I HAVE HAD THE SAME SPINNERS ON THE AIRPLANE EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE. AT NO TIME HAD I EVER HAD ANY OF THE UNAUTH REPAIRS DONE TO THE SPINNERS. I WAS ALSO UNAWARE THAT THE SPINNERS WERE ILLEGAL AND NOT AIRWORTHY. I RELY ON MY ANNUAL INSPECTIONS AND MAINT PERSONNEL TO MAKE ME AWARE OF SUCH ITEMS. THE PLANE HAS BEEN THROUGH NUMEROUS ANNUAL INSPECTIONS WITHOUT MENTION OF THE SPINNER ISSUE. WITHIN THE LAST YR; I HAVE COMPLETELY RENOVATED THIS AIRPLANE WITH A NEW PAINT JOB; A NEW INTERIOR AND NEW AVIONICS PANEL. I HAVE NEVER INTENTIONALLY FLOWN THE ACFT IN VIOLATION OF ANY FARS OF MANUFACTURER'S REQUIREMENTS. HOW CAN I PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING OR WHAT CAUSED THIS PROB? THE IA'S ALL OVERLOOKED THIS ISSUE -- FOR NOT JUST 1 ANNUAL; BUT AT LEAST 10+ YRS. I'M NOT CERTAIN HOW I COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY. I'D LOVE TO HEAR A SUGGESTION AS TO HOW THIS MATTER COULD HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED IF NONE OF THE IA'S FOUND THE PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A PA31 had an FAA ramp inspection and received an aircraft condition notice on illegal repair to left and right spinners; also a small hole in right aileron.