A PVT MULTI ENG INST RATED PLT; FLYING A LIGHT TWIN ENRTE FROM HPN TO LAL; EXPERIENCED AN ENG FIRE AND DIVERSION TO 47J AND LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE ACFT WAS OUT OF ANNUAL INSPECTION.

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ON APR/XA/99; I TOOK OFF FOR HPN ON A TRIP TO LAL. APPROX 1 WK BEFORE; I HAD A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE ACFT'S LONG-TIME MECH; IN WHOSE CARE THE ACFT HAD BEEN FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE WINTER; WHO HAD SEVERAL MONTHS PREVIOUSLY ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD RETAINED ALL OF THE ACFT'S LOGBOOKS IN ORDER TO BRING THE ENTRIES THEREIN UP-TO-DATE. BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THE LOGBOOKS WITH ME AT THE TIME OF SUCH CONVERSATION AND BELIEVED THAT SUCH MECH DID; I INQUIRED OF HIM AND HE CONFIRMED TO ME THAT SUCH ACFT'S ANNUAL WOULD BE IN FULL FORCE AND VALID DURING APR/99. AFTER A 2 1/2 - 3 HR UNEVENTFUL FLT; I REFUELED AT 5W8 AND TOOK OFF FOR LAL. APPROX 30-45 MINS OF FLT; THE ACFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE STRONGLY; AND I EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES CTLING ITS HDG. I DECLARED AN EMER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE THE APPARENT CTL PROB; THE L ENG DEVELOPED A FIRE UNDER THE TOP OF ITS NACELLE; AND I SHUT SUCH ENG DOWN; ELIMINATING THE VIBRATION AND CTL DIFFICULTIES. WITH THE ABLE ASSISTANCE OF RADAR VECTORS FROM FLORENCE; SC; APCH; I EXECUTED A SUCCESSFUL SINGLE ENG LNDG AT 47J; WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT; THE FIRE HAVING APPARENTLY BEEN EXTINGUISHED BY THE ENG SHUTDOWN. SUBSEQUENTLY; ON OBTAINING AND EXAMINING ALL OF THE ACFT'S LOGBOOKS; I ASCERTAINED THAT THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION NOTED THEREIN WAS IN MAR/98. ACCORDINGLY; BASED ON SUCH LOGBOOK ENTRY; THE ACFT WAS OUT OF ANNUAL ON APR/XA/99. FROM MAR/98 THROUGH MAR/99; THE ACFT HAD FLOWN SOME 47 HRS. WHILE; WITH HINDSIGHT; IT WAS A MISTAKE FOR ME TO HAVE RELIED SOLELY ON THE WORD OF THE ACFT'S MECH; I BELIEVED THAT HE WAS IN THE BEST POS TO SUPPLY ME WITH THE NEEDED INFO. IF HE HAD ADVISED ME THAT THE ACFT WOULD NOT BE IN ANNUAL ON APR/XA/99; I WOULD NOT HAVE FLOWN THE ACFT THAT DAY WITHOUT HAVING A NEW ANNUAL INSPECTION COMPLETED OR OBTAINING A FERRY PERMIT. IF I HAD TO MAKE SUCH INQUIRY AGAIN; I WOULD INSIST THAT THE MECH FAX ME A COPY OF THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION ENDORSEMENT IN THE ACFT'S LOGBOOKS.