Narrative:

Purchased PA-18A 150 on aug/sat/06. Aircraft had zero hours since last annual inspection completed on jul/sat/06 by FBO. On aug/sun/06; discovered; via aircraft inspection; a fuel leak and muffler leak. As of time of inspection; aircraft had accumulated 4.3 tachometer hours since annual inspection. Fuel was leaking from hose running to gasolator. Leaking hose was discovered to be 306-style (air; vacuum; etc) hose versus the required 303-style (fuel; hydraulics; etc) hose. Hose had delaminated and cracked. Adjacent to leaking 'fuel' hose; is the muffler location. Muffler was found to be cracked on both ends via visual inspection and observance of exhaust residue along both sides of fuselage; near firewall. Summary: a&P/ia; failed to discover incorrect 'fuel' hose installation. Additionally; it is unlikely that the a&P/ia performed required checks; both visually and via pressure; to comply with current airworthiness directive related to PA-18A 150 exhaust system. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the annual inspection was not very thorough as after 4.3 hours a gas leak was discovered from an unapproved gas line (vacuum or air). The cracked muffler is an airworthiness directive inspection item on every annual inspection and could not have been inspected. The reporter contacted the inspector and was compensated with money for a replacement gas line and muffler repair. Reporter believes a better before purchase inspection would have saved a lot of trouble.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA18A WITH 4.3 HRS OUT OF ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS FOUND TO HAVE A LEAKING UNAPPROVED FUEL LINE INSTALLED.

Narrative: PURCHASED PA-18A 150 ON AUG/SAT/06. ACFT HAD ZERO HRS SINCE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION COMPLETED ON JUL/SAT/06 BY FBO. ON AUG/SUN/06; DISCOVERED; VIA ACFT INSPECTION; A FUEL LEAK AND MUFFLER LEAK. AS OF TIME OF INSPECTION; ACFT HAD ACCUMULATED 4.3 TACHOMETER HRS SINCE ANNUAL INSPECTION. FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM HOSE RUNNING TO GASOLATOR. LEAKING HOSE WAS DISCOVERED TO BE 306-STYLE (AIR; VACUUM; ETC) HOSE VERSUS THE REQUIRED 303-STYLE (FUEL; HYDS; ETC) HOSE. HOSE HAD DELAMINATED AND CRACKED. ADJACENT TO LEAKING 'FUEL' HOSE; IS THE MUFFLER LOCATION. MUFFLER WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED ON BOTH ENDS VIA VISUAL INSPECTION AND OBSERVANCE OF EXHAUST RESIDUE ALONG BOTH SIDES OF FUSELAGE; NEAR FIREWALL. SUMMARY: A&P/IA; FAILED TO DISCOVER INCORRECT 'FUEL' HOSE INSTALLATION. ADDITIONALLY; IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE A&P/IA PERFORMED REQUIRED CHKS; BOTH VISUALLY AND VIA PRESSURE; TO COMPLY WITH CURRENT AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE RELATED TO PA-18A 150 EXHAUST SYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS NOT VERY THOROUGH AS AFTER 4.3 HRS A GAS LEAK WAS DISCOVERED FROM AN UNAPPROVED GAS LINE (VACUUM OR AIR). THE CRACKED MUFFLER IS AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE INSPECTION ITEM ON EVERY ANNUAL INSPECTION AND COULD NOT HAVE BEEN INSPECTED. THE RPTR CONTACTED THE INSPECTOR AND WAS COMPENSATED WITH MONEY FOR A REPLACEMENT GAS LINE AND MUFFLER REPAIR. RPTR BELIEVES A BETTER BEFORE PURCHASE INSPECTION WOULD HAVE SAVED A LOT OF TROUBLE.

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.