Pilot ferried an small aircraft to a prospective buyer that needed an annual inspection.

Attributes
ACN	171470
Time
Date	199102
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : h78
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14400 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	171470
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Received late call day before to ferry small aircraft to 3LP. Aircraft sold to individual. Ferry required. XA00 local departure. I was told aircraft was ready to go--full fuel, log books, bil of sale, etc. Simple flight--just a drop-off. At XX00L, dark and cold, preflted and departed. Flight routine. When arrived buyer had a&P go through log books. At this time I was told aircraft was past due annual inspection and ELT battery due replacement. In my haste to get going at the early hour, I had overlooked my usual inspection of log books to be sure everything was in order. I should have known better than to take an aircraft salesman at his word. Needless to say, aircraft didn't sell and I left it there for the salesman to handle. He wanted me to fly it back. I refused.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FERRIED AN SMA TO A PROSPECTIVE BUYER THAT NEEDED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.

Narrative: RECEIVED LATE CALL DAY BEFORE TO FERRY SMA TO 3LP. ACFT SOLD TO INDIVIDUAL. FERRY REQUIRED. XA00 LCL DEP. I WAS TOLD ACFT WAS READY TO GO--FULL FUEL, LOG BOOKS, BIL OF SALE, ETC. SIMPLE FLT--JUST A DROP-OFF. AT XX00L, DARK AND COLD, PREFLTED AND DEPARTED. FLT ROUTINE. WHEN ARRIVED BUYER HAD A&P GO THROUGH LOG BOOKS. AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD ACFT WAS PAST DUE ANNUAL INSPECTION AND ELT BATTERY DUE REPLACEMENT. IN MY HASTE TO GET GOING AT THE EARLY HOUR, I HAD OVERLOOKED MY USUAL INSPECTION OF LOG BOOKS TO BE SURE EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO TAKE AN ACFT SALESMAN AT HIS WORD. NEEDLESS TO SAY, ACFT DIDN'T SELL AND I LEFT IT THERE FOR THE SALESMAN TO HANDLE. HE WANTED ME TO FLY IT BACK. I REFUSED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.