Pilot reported flying aircraft without proper maintenance inspection documentation.

Attributes
ACN	1702576
Time
Date	201911
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40 Flight Crew Total 413 Flight Crew Type 20
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural FAR Deviation - Procedural Maintenance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

We bought a plane out of state that needed a condition inspection (annual for experimental airplane). A local a&P was hired to do the inspection. I was told the inspection was completed; and the a&P was going to put the logbook entry in the mail. I then began flying the plane home. I didn't think much about not having the logbook entries in hand. Halfway back; the engine failed; and I was forced to make a sudden landing. I then began thinking about the logbook; knowing I might need to submit copies to the FAA. Realizing I didn't have a copy of the entry in hand; I called the a&P; who apparently hasn't mailed the entry yet. I then realized I had taken off in an airplane that wasn't legal. Although the inspection had been performed; I didn't have the required paperwork to takeoff legally. I should have made sure I received the logbook entries before takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Pilot reported flying aircraft without proper maintenance inspection documentation.

Narrative: We bought a plane out of state that needed a condition inspection (annual for experimental airplane). A local A&P was hired to do the inspection. I was told the inspection was completed; and the A&P was going to put the logbook entry in the mail. I then began flying the plane home. I didn't think much about not having the logbook entries in hand. Halfway back; the engine failed; and I was forced to make a sudden landing. I then began thinking about the logbook; knowing I might need to submit copies to the FAA. Realizing I didn't have a copy of the entry in hand; I called the A&P; who apparently hasn't mailed the entry yet. I then realized I had taken off in an airplane that wasn't legal. Although the inspection had been performed; I didn't have the required paperwork to takeoff legally. I should have made sure I received the logbook entries before takeoff.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.