Narrative:

Aircraft requires an 'a' check every 48 hours as per company operations with FAA. Aircraft was fogged in the previous night so it did not make it back to sfo so this check could be performed. An 'a' check consists of all lights, fluids, brakes, tires, etc being checked by a mechanic. After talking to maintenance control we were told and assured that approval had been obtained from the FAA to extend this check an additional 5 hours. We then called the management pilot on duty and had him check on this and he assured us that this extension had been approved and obtained. After making the flight to sfo we discovered that both maintenance and the management pilot on duty had told us this so the company could get the aircraft to sfo. Required maintenance checks cannot be extended.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT FAILED TO GET REQUIRED 48 HOUR MAINTENANCE CHECK PRIOR TO DEP ON SCHEDULED FLT.

Narrative: ACFT REQUIRES AN 'A' CHECK EVERY 48 HRS AS PER COMPANY OPS WITH FAA. ACFT WAS FOGGED IN THE PREVIOUS NIGHT SO IT DID NOT MAKE IT BACK TO SFO SO THIS CHECK COULD BE PERFORMED. AN 'A' CHECK CONSISTS OF ALL LIGHTS, FLUIDS, BRAKES, TIRES, ETC BEING CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. AFTER TALKING TO MAINT CTL WE WERE TOLD AND ASSURED THAT APPROVAL HAD BEEN OBTAINED FROM THE FAA TO EXTEND THIS CHECK AN ADDITIONAL 5 HRS. WE THEN CALLED THE MGMNT PLT ON DUTY AND HAD HIM CHECK ON THIS AND HE ASSURED US THAT THIS EXTENSION HAD BEEN APPROVED AND OBTAINED. AFTER MAKING THE FLT TO SFO WE DISCOVERED THAT BOTH MAINT AND THE MGMNT PLT ON DUTY HAD TOLD US THIS SO THE COMPANY COULD GET THE ACFT TO SFO. REQUIRED MAINT CHECKS CANNOT BE EXTENDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.