FBO MECH RPTS TO FAA THAT A PVT OWNER PLT OPERATED HIS ACFT IN AN UNAIRWORTHY CONDITION DUE TO AN EXCESSIVE ENG OIL LEAK ON HIS MOONEY M20L.

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FBO; DUNKIRK; NY; DID ANNUAL BEFORE EXPIRATION MAY/96. NOT SIGNED OFF. MGR; MR. X; CALLS TO TELL ME TO FIX AN OIL LEAK MYSELF -- COME AND GET YOUR ACFT (MAY/SUN/96); FIX IT; LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO REPAIR IT; IF ANY; AND 'I'LL SIGN LOGBOOKS TO COMPLETE ANNUAL.' MAY/THU/96 FAA INSPECTOR FROM ROCHESTER; NY; SENDS ME LETTER REGARDING ACFT NOT AIRWORTHY. HOW WAS IT FLOWN? SEND COPIES OF ANNUAL INSPECTION IN LOGS. I WAS NOT TOLD ACFT WAS NOT AIRWORTHY; ONLY 'PICK IT UP AND FIX IT YOURSELF TO SAVE YOU SOME MONEY.' FBO MECH CALLED FAA TO RPT MY PARTICULAR ACFT AS NOT AIRWORTHY -- NOT KNOWN TO ME. NOW I HAVE THE FRUSTRATION OF ANSWERING TO FAA AND LOOKING FOR SOMETHING WRONG MYSELF AFTER OWING FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT AFTER AN EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA; THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT ENG OIL LEAK EXISTED AND THAT THE MECH'S REASON FOR MAKING THE FALSE RPT WAS TO 'GET HIS EMPLOYER IN TROUBLE!' THE FAA INSPECTOR HAS NOTIFIED THE RPTR THAT THERE WAS NO FINDING OF WRONG DOING AND THAT THE CASE HAD BEEN CLOSED. HOWEVER; THE INVESTIGATION DID COST THE RPTR APPROX $2000 AND CHIPPED ENG COWLING PAINT.