ACFT MAINT HISTORY REVEALED ON A C-310.

Narrative

ON OCT/XX/94; I WAS ASSIGNED TO DEADHEAD IN A RENTED CESSNA 310 TO FLY VFR TO KINGMAN; AZ; FROM FRESNO; CA; TO PICK UP 2 ACR CREWMEMBERS. THIS OP WAS NOT FOR COMPENSATION OR HIRE AND WAS CONDUCTED UNDER FAR PART 91. ANTICIPATED DEP TIME WAS ZM00 HRS. I ARRIVED AT THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR (FBO); FROM WHOM THE ACFT HAD BEEN RENTED; AT XX15 HRS TO DO A PREFLT AND CONFIRM WX FOR MY RTE OF FLT. I WAS MET BY THE FBO OWNER WHO ADVISED THAT THE L GENERATOR HAD FROZEN UP ON THE PREVIOUS FLT AND THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A REPLACEMENT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. WHEN I EXPLAINED TO THE FBO OWNER THAT PERSONS WERE AWAITING MY ARR IN KINGMAN AND INQUIRED AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANOTHER MULTI-ENG RENTAL ACFT; THE OWNER CONFERRED WITH HIS MECH AND INSTRUCTED THAT THE L GENERATOR BE REMOVED IF THE R GENERATOR WAS SVCABLE. THE MECH DID AS THE OWNER HAD INSTRUCTED; REMOVING THE GENERATOR; SECURING THE WIRING; AND CONFIRMING THE SVCABILITY AND CAPABILITY OF THE REMAINING R GENERATOR. THAT GENERATOR HAD AN OPTIONAL 50 AMP OUTPUT AS OPPOSED TO THE STANDARD 25 AMP OUTPUT. I INQUIRED OF THE MECH AS TO WHETHER THE ACFT HAD A MEL OR SOME OTHER LEGAL AUTH FOR THE ACFT TO BE OPERATED WITH ONLY 1 GENERATOR. THERE WAS NO MEL. WE THEN CONSULTED THE PLT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THERE WERE ANY PROHIBITIONS AND COULD FIND NONE. I ASSUMED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN A CONDITION FOR SAFE FLT FOR THE RTE AND GIVEN THE FORECAST WX. MOREOVER; I ASSUMED THAT IF THE ACFT WAS NOT AIRWORTHY; THE FBO WOULD NOT PERMIT IT TO BE RENTED OUT AND FLOWN. I DID NOT ASK TO SEE THE ACFT LOGS AS LOGS ARE NOT NORMALLY MADE AVAILABLE TO RENTAL CUSTOMERS. THE FLTS TO KINGMAN AND RETURN WERE WITHOUT INCIDENT. I UTILIZED APPROPRIATE AVIONICS AND ELECTRICAL EQUIP; MONITORED THE AMP GAUGE AND FOUND THAT EVERYTHING WAS WITHIN LIMITS. 2 DAYS LATER; AS THIS ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN BY ANOTHER PLT; IT WAS INVOLVED IN A GEAR-UP LNDG INCIDENT. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN OUT OF ANNUAL INSPECTION; CERTAIN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH AND THAT THE ACFT WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE HAD 2 OPERABLE GENERATORS. LESSONS TO BE LEARNED: NEVER ASSUME THAT AN ACFT IS AIRWORTHY JUST BECAUSE THE FBO ALLOWS IT TO BE RENTED AND FLOWN OR BECAUSE THE FBO MECH SAYS THAT IT IS OKAY. AS A RENTER PLT; DEMAND TO SEE AND REVIEW THE ACFT LOGS; AND NEVER ASSUME THAT JUST BECAUSE THE PLT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK DOESN'T PROHIBIT SOMETHING; IT CAN BE DONE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 284919: THE MAJORITY OF THE FLT WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THE ACFT WAS OPERATED WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS. ON THE RETURN LEG AND UPON APCH TO FRESNO; AND AS I ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE LNDG GEAR; THE ACFT EXPERIENCED INFLT ELECTRICAL PROBS. I ASKED THE TWR TO TURN UP RWY LIGHTS AND I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 11R. WHILE ON FINAL APCH; AND AT APPROX 500 FT (AGL); THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I ATTEMPTED A GAR BUT THE ENGS WERE SURGING. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO CONFIRM THAT THE GEAR WAS DOWN WITH A FLASHLIGHT BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE. I HAD THE RWY MADE AND DECIDED TO LAND WITH OR WITHOUT THE GEAR DOWN. THE FLT CULMINATED IN A GEAR-UP LNDG INCIDENT; IN WHICH THE ACFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN OUT OF ANNUAL INSPECTION; CERTAIN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH AND THAT THE ACFT'S L GENERATOR HAD BEEN REMOVED. THE REMOVAL OF THE L GENERATOR COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DETECTED THROUGH A NORMAL PREFLT INSPECTION; AS THAT WOULD HAVE ENTAILED THE REMOVAL OF THE ENTIRE COWLING.