Narrative:

On a morning in 8/88, I was stopped by FAA inspectors at 5w5 and alleged to have flown small aircraft west/O having a current registration in the airplane. When I purchased aircraft it was originally financed with bank at a branch office in cary, nc. The original seller accompanied me to that branch and we met with a bank official, who was experienced in aircraft finance matters. At that time a proper FAA form to change registration from FBO of raleigh, the previous owner, had been completed and was given to bank. Indicated at that time that she would take care of obtaining all of the proper registration papers in that the bank was going to have a lien on the aircraft for the loan to purchase. I presumed, based on the bank's representations that whatever was to be done had been properly done with the FAA. On the same date and time in question, I was also charged with not having a valid airworthy certificate in small aircraft. The airworthiness certificate was, in fact, in the airplane. I handed the FAA official the papers out of the plane and do not know whether the airworthy certificate was actually taken out of the plane itself. Nevertheless, the FAA inspectors never looked inside the plane. After the FAA inspectors left, the next day I received a statement of proposed action by the FAA and emergency revocation order. I then inspected the plane. In the front right hand pocket in a clear view plastic cover the airworthy certificate was properly in place. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter advised the FAA is still pressing the issue. Registration certificate has been taken care of and as indicated in the report, the airworthiness certificate was in the aircraft at all times. ASRS program explained to the reporter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT REGISTRATION AND AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE NOT AVAILABLE TO FAA INSPECTOR.

Narrative: ON A MORNING IN 8/88, I WAS STOPPED BY FAA INSPECTORS AT 5W5 AND ALLEGED TO HAVE FLOWN SMA W/O HAVING A CURRENT REGISTRATION IN THE AIRPLANE. WHEN I PURCHASED ACFT IT WAS ORIGINALLY FINANCED WITH BANK AT A BRANCH OFFICE IN CARY, NC. THE ORIGINAL SELLER ACCOMPANIED ME TO THAT BRANCH AND WE MET WITH A BANK OFFICIAL, WHO WAS EXPERIENCED IN ACFT FINANCE MATTERS. AT THAT TIME A PROPER FAA FORM TO CHANGE REGISTRATION FROM FBO OF RALEIGH, THE PREVIOUS OWNER, HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND WAS GIVEN TO BANK. INDICATED AT THAT TIME THAT SHE WOULD TAKE CARE OF OBTAINING ALL OF THE PROPER REGISTRATION PAPERS IN THAT THE BANK WAS GOING TO HAVE A LIEN ON THE ACFT FOR THE LOAN TO PURCHASE. I PRESUMED, BASED ON THE BANK'S REPRESENTATIONS THAT WHATEVER WAS TO BE DONE HAD BEEN PROPERLY DONE WITH THE FAA. ON THE SAME DATE AND TIME IN QUESTION, I WAS ALSO CHARGED WITH NOT HAVING A VALID AIRWORTHY CERTIFICATE IN SMA. THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE WAS, IN FACT, IN THE AIRPLANE. I HANDED THE FAA OFFICIAL THE PAPERS OUT OF THE PLANE AND DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE AIRWORTHY CERTIFICATE WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN OUT OF THE PLANE ITSELF. NEVERTHELESS, THE FAA INSPECTORS NEVER LOOKED INSIDE THE PLANE. AFTER THE FAA INSPECTORS LEFT, THE NEXT DAY I RECEIVED A STATEMENT OF PROPOSED ACTION BY THE FAA AND EMER REVOCATION ORDER. I THEN INSPECTED THE PLANE. IN THE FRONT RIGHT HAND POCKET IN A CLEAR VIEW PLASTIC COVER THE AIRWORTHY CERTIFICATE WAS PROPERLY IN PLACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR ADVISED THE FAA IS STILL PRESSING THE ISSUE. REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND AS INDICATED IN THE RPT, THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE WAS IN THE ACFT AT ALL TIMES. ASRS PROGRAM EXPLAINED TO THE RPTR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.