Narrative:

I flew (small aircraft aircraft) from st thomas, us virgin islands, to ft lauderdale international, with 1 stop for fuel at south caicos island. On landing at fll, customs advised me that I had violated certain regulations because this aircraft did not have identify numbers at least 12 inches high. The numbers on this aircraft were those originally painted on at the factory. I had previously owned other aircraft with small numbers and believed a 'grandfather clause' covered aircraft that had small numbers painted on prior to the regulation requiring large numbers. This aircraft was borrowed for this trip and both the owner and I were unaware of the requirement for large numbers. Otherwise, the flight was uneventful and no other violations or threats to safety were noted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OPERATED SMA ACFT CONTRARY TO THE ACFT NATIONAL REGISTRATION MARKINGS WHEN REENTERING THE UNITED STATES THROUGH THE ADIZ ZONE WITHOUT AT LEAST 12 INCH HIGH NUMBERS.

Narrative: I FLEW (SMA ACFT) FROM ST THOMAS, US VIRGIN ISLANDS, TO FT LAUDERDALE INTL, WITH 1 STOP FOR FUEL AT S CAICOS ISLAND. ON LNDG AT FLL, CUSTOMS ADVISED ME THAT I HAD VIOLATED CERTAIN REGS BECAUSE THIS ACFT DID NOT HAVE IDENT NUMBERS AT LEAST 12 INCHES HIGH. THE NUMBERS ON THIS ACFT WERE THOSE ORIGINALLY PAINTED ON AT THE FACTORY. I HAD PREVIOUSLY OWNED OTHER ACFT WITH SMALL NUMBERS AND BELIEVED A 'GRANDFATHER CLAUSE' COVERED ACFT THAT HAD SMALL NUMBERS PAINTED ON PRIOR TO THE REG REQUIRING LARGE NUMBERS. THIS ACFT WAS BORROWED FOR THIS TRIP AND BOTH THE OWNER AND I WERE UNAWARE OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR LARGE NUMBERS. OTHERWISE, THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND NO OTHER VIOLATIONS OR THREATS TO SAFETY WERE NOTED.

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.