Pilot flew a GA small aircraft helicopter that had been issued a grounding order from the FAA.

Attributes
ACN	197364
Time
Date	199112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hzl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2480 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	197364
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On dec/mon/91, I flew a helicopter to get current in helicopters so that I could fly traffic patrol thu and fri. I talked with the owner and a mechanic who is familiar with the helicopter and was told everything was up to date. The aircraft logs show the helicopter in annual and 100 hour inspection. On both dec/thu and dec/fri 2 flts were made, a morning and evening traffic patrol for a local radio station. There were no incidents or events on either day. However, on dec/mon I received a telephone call from the mechanic, informing me of a possible problem involving the helicopter, owner and the FAA. Apparently the FAA had issued a grounding order to the owner because of some flattened rivets on the tail cone and improper size numbers on the fuselage. I was told the letter was dated dec/wed/91. I have not seen the letter and was not informed about this letter until after I had flown the helicopter. I am unsure of my liability in this matter and hope this form can help if action is taken by the FAA. To further complicate the issue on dec/fri I checked out another pilot who was to be a permanent replacement pilot for the radio station contract. I am unsure of what corrective action should be or needs to be taken. I feel only the honesty of the helicopter owner could have prevented this incident's occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FLEW A GA SMA HELI THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED A GNDING ORDER FROM THE FAA.

Narrative: ON DEC/MON/91, I FLEW A HELI TO GET CURRENT IN HELIS SO THAT I COULD FLY TFC PATROL THU AND FRI. I TALKED WITH THE OWNER AND A MECH WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH THE HELI AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS UP TO DATE. THE ACFT LOGS SHOW THE HELI IN ANNUAL AND 100 HR INSPECTION. ON BOTH DEC/THU AND DEC/FRI 2 FLTS WERE MADE, A MORNING AND EVENING TFC PATROL FOR A LCL RADIO STATION. THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS OR EVENTS ON EITHER DAY. HOWEVER, ON DEC/MON I RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM THE MECH, INFORMING ME OF A POSSIBLE PROBLEM INVOLVING THE HELI, OWNER AND THE FAA. APPARENTLY THE FAA HAD ISSUED A GNDING ORDER TO THE OWNER BECAUSE OF SOME FLATTENED RIVETS ON THE TAIL CONE AND IMPROPER SIZE NUMBERS ON THE FUSELAGE. I WAS TOLD THE LETTER WAS DATED DEC/WED/91. I HAVE NOT SEEN THE LETTER AND WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THIS LETTER UNTIL AFTER I HAD FLOWN THE HELI. I AM UNSURE OF MY LIABILITY IN THIS MATTER AND HOPE THIS FORM CAN HELP IF ACTION IS TAKEN BY THE FAA. TO FURTHER COMPLICATE THE ISSUE ON DEC/FRI I CHKED OUT ANOTHER PLT WHO WAS TO BE A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT PLT FOR THE RADIO STATION CONTRACT. I AM UNSURE OF WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE OR NEEDS TO BE TAKEN. I FEEL ONLY THE HONESTY OF THE HELI OWNER COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT'S OCCURRENCE.

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.