A PIPER PA28R FUEL INJECTED ACFT HAD AN ANNUAL INSPECTION ACCOMPLISHED BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE AIR CLEANER. FAA SAYS NOTE IN LOGBOOK NOT LEGAL.

Narrative

ON OR ABOUT JAN/THU/07; I ANNUALED A PA28R200. AFTER INSPECTING AND LUBRICATING THE ACFT AND INSPECTING THE ENG I NOTICED THAT THE AIR CLEANER WAS GETTING SLIGHTLY DRY; BUT I STILL CONSIDERED IT STILL AIRWORTHY. I MENTIONED IT TO THE OWNER AND HE STATED THAT HE HAD A NEW ONE AT HOME (APPROX 45 MI) AND HE WOULD GET IT AND PUT IT IN (BY FAR HE IS ALLOWED TO DO SO). I FINISHED THE INSPECTION; SIGNED THE LOGBOOKS; AND RETURNED THE ACFT TO SVC. THE ACFT WAS SOLD AND THE AIR CLEANER ELEMENT WAS NOT INSTALLED BUT GIVEN TO THE NEW OWNER. ON APR/THU/07; I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE NEW OWNER COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION AND THAT THE AIR CLEANER STARTED TO COME APART AND RUINED HIS FUEL INJECTOR (THIS EVERY MECH KNOWS IS IMPOSSIBLE SINCE THE AIR AND FUEL DO NOT COME TOGETHER UNTIL THEY ENTER THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN A FUEL INJECTED ENG) (IN A CARBURETED ENG AT THE VENTURI). I HAD MADE NOTE IN THE LOGBOOK THAT THE NEW AIR CLEANER ELEMENT WOULD BE INSTALLED BY THE OWNER. THIS APPARENTLY IS CONSIDERED A VIOLATION BY THE FAA; IF SO; I MEANT NO HARM AND NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I DID NOT INTENTIONALLY VIOLATE THE FARS. I MIGHT NOTE THAT I HAVE MAINTAINED ACFT BOTH LARGE AND SMALL FOR APPROX 50 YRS AND A GOOD MANY AS DIRECTOR OF MAINT OF A SMALL AIRLINE WITH BOTH RECIPROCATING AND TURBINE ENGS.