MERLIN IIIB FLOWN OVER AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE AND 100 HR INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS DUE TO CHANGE IN THE ACFT OWNER AND THE MGMNT OF THE PREVIOUS OWNER'S PLT MGR.
Synopsis
MERLIN IIIB FLOWN OVER AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE AND 100 HR INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS DUE TO CHANGE IN THE ACFT OWNER AND THE MGMNT OF THE PREVIOUS OWNER'S PLT MGR.
Narrative
ON OCT/FRI/00; MY COMPANY; FBO X; ASSUMED THE MGMNT RESPONSIBILITY FOR A MERLIN IIIB. AT THAT TIME; THE ACFT OWNERS CHOSE TO HAVE FBO X MANAGE THE ACFT DUE TO DEFICIENCIES IN THE PREVIOUS 'MGR.' HE WAS THE PLT FOR THE ACFT AND WAS ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRACKING MAINT; EXPENSES; CLEANING; ETC. THE ACFT LOGBOOKS; CHART SUBSCRIPTIONS; FUEL AND EXPENSE CREDIT CARDS WERE IN THE FORMER MGR'S NAME. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 2 MONTHS WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF 'SWITCHING OVER' TO OUR COMPANY. THEIR PLT CONTINUED TO FLY WITH US THROUGH THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER WHILE BOTH PARTIES; FBO X AND THE ACFT OWNERS; THOUGHT IT WOULD MAKE FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN MGMNT. ON DEC/THU/00; THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO FBO Y IN SPRINGFIELD; MO; FOR A ROUTINE 'LETTER' INSPECTION (C/D). THE NOW EX-PLT FOR THE ACFT WAS ASKED TO MAIL THE LOGBOOKS FROM HIS HOME DIRECTLY TO FBO Y. HE HAD BEEN ASKED ON SEVERAL PRIOR OCCASIONS TO PRODUCE THE LOGBOOKS AND HAD NOT DONE SO. UPON RECEIVING THE LOGBOOKS WE DETERMINED THAT WE HAD INADVERTENTLY OVERFLOWN 2 AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES AND HAD FLOWN PAST THE INSPECTION INTERVAL OF 100 HRS BY 27 HRS. WE HAVE SINCE AUDITED THE LOGBOOKS AND ARE TRACKING ALL PERTINENT AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES; MSB'S; SVC BULLETINS; AND LIFE LIMITED COMPONENT TIMES VIA APPROPRIATE ACFT STATUS BOARDS AND COMPUTER TRACKING AIDS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE FAA INVESTIGATED THIS MATTER AND HAS GIVEN THE RPTR A LETTER OF WARNING FOR FLYING THE ACFT PAST THE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAS LEARNED FROM THIS THAT HE WILL ALWAYS LOOK AT THE ACFT LOGBOOK RECORDS PRIOR TO FLYING A NEW ACFT TO HIM WHEREIN HE HAS NO FAMILIARITY WITH THE ACFT HISTORY OF MAINT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.