A PIPER P-28 HAD ANNUAL INSPECTION SIGNED OFF IN LOGBOOK BUT EXHAUST SYS WAS NOT INSTALLED.

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ON DEC/THU/03; MY MECH AND I WERE FINISHING UP AN ANNUAL INSPECTION ON A PIPER PA28-180 ACFT. IT WAS ABOUT XA00. THE EXHAUST SYS HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ACFT FOR REPAIR AND HAD NOT BEEN REINSTALLED SO THE ENG COULD BE OPERATED AS REQUIRED BY FAR 43 TO COMPLETE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. IT WAS A COLD; WINDY AFTERNOON AND I HAD SOME ERRANDS TO RUN. I SIGNED THE LOGBOOK TO RETURN THE ACFT TO SVC; THINKING MY MECH WOULD INSTALL THE EXHAUST SYS AND RUN THE ENG; SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO RETURN TO THE SHOP EARLY THE NEXT MORNING. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE OFFICE; WHICH IS 30 MI FROM THE SHOP; A MAINT INSPECTOR FROM THE FSDO WAS WAITING FOR ME. HE HAD STOPPED IN TO RUN A ROUTINE INSPECTION OF MY OP. SOME OF MY LIBRARY WAS AT THE SHOP; SO HE SAID HE WOULD STOP THERE THE NEXT MORNING AND PICK UP THE INFO. WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE SHOP THE NEXT MORNING; THE ACFT WAS STILL DISASSEMBLED. HE WROTE ME UP. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PUNISHMENT WILL BE; BUT THE DAMAGE TO MY PRIDE AND REPUTATION ARE NOT REPAIRABLE. AFTER 60 YRS IN THE BUSINESS; I KNEW BETTER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL IN THE HANGAR WITH THE COWLING OFF AND THE WORK WAS PROGRESSING. THE RPTR SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RELEASED FOR SVC.