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A single pilot reports inadvertently flying an unairworthy airplane. Aircraft had a battery charger modification that required FAA approval before flight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 715526 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200610 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | PA-18/19 Super Cub |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 715526 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : 2 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
On oct/wed/06; I completed a routine flight of approximately 1.2 hours. As I was securing the airplane I was informed that the FAA was looking for me because I had just flown an unairworthy airplane. Previous to the flight I had been told the airplane could be flown locally but not to fly it to its permanent base (the airplane's permanent base is approximately 200 mi from the maintenance base) until the FAA had a chance to look at it. The aircraft logbook was in order and showed no ongoing work or other discrepancies. Apparently the modification that was underway (the installation of a battery charger) was a major modification requiring a form 337 with a field approval. In this incident there was no apparent problem with the handling or operation of the airplane or its system. My recommendation is to implement a tag or poster system that communicates clearly the status of the airplane; ie; 'do not fly -- ongoing maintenance issues.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A SINGLE PLT RPTS INADVERTENTLY FLYING AN UNAIRWORTHY AIRPLANE. ACFT HAD A BATTERY CHARGER MODIFICATION THAT REQUIRED FAA APPROVAL BEFORE FLT.
Narrative: ON OCT/WED/06; I COMPLETED A ROUTINE FLT OF APPROX 1.2 HRS. AS I WAS SECURING THE AIRPLANE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAA WAS LOOKING FOR ME BECAUSE I HAD JUST FLOWN AN UNAIRWORTHY AIRPLANE. PREVIOUS TO THE FLT I HAD BEEN TOLD THE AIRPLANE COULD BE FLOWN LOCALLY BUT NOT TO FLY IT TO ITS PERMANENT BASE (THE AIRPLANE'S PERMANENT BASE IS APPROX 200 MI FROM THE MAINT BASE) UNTIL THE FAA HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT. THE ACFT LOGBOOK WAS IN ORDER AND SHOWED NO ONGOING WORK OR OTHER DISCREPANCIES. APPARENTLY THE MODIFICATION THAT WAS UNDERWAY (THE INSTALLATION OF A BATTERY CHARGER) WAS A MAJOR MODIFICATION REQUIRING A FORM 337 WITH A FIELD APPROVAL. IN THIS INCIDENT THERE WAS NO APPARENT PROB WITH THE HANDLING OR OP OF THE AIRPLANE OR ITS SYS. MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO IMPLEMENT A TAG OR POSTER SYS THAT COMMUNICATES CLRLY THE STATUS OF THE AIRPLANE; IE; 'DO NOT FLY -- ONGOING MAINT ISSUES.'
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.