Small aircraft flown 3 months with ELT battery overdue for replacement.

Attributes
ACN	229480
Time
Date	199212
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clw
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	229480
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I just discovered that we have been flying our airplane with an expired ELT battery for the past 3 months. I was reviewing the aircraft maintenance logbook for the altimeter check expiration when I noticed that the ELT battery was due for replacement in sept. I grounded the aircraft immediately, and scheduled it in for the battery replacement. For some reason, I just missed it during the past few oil changes and 50 hour inspections. To keep this from happening again in the future, I have made up a card with the dates of all critical inspections (annual, altimeter, transponder, ELT battery, etc) for posting in the airplane. It is ironic that I missed this replacement date, since we post oil change times on post-it notes right on the tachometers and keep a special log for VOR checks, and religiously perform both.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLOWN 3 MONTHS WITH ELT BATTERY OVERDUE FOR REPLACEMENT.

Narrative: I JUST DISCOVERED THAT WE HAVE BEEN FLYING OUR AIRPLANE WITH AN EXPIRED ELT BATTERY FOR THE PAST 3 MONTHS. I WAS REVIEWING THE ACFT MAINT LOGBOOK FOR THE ALTIMETER CHK EXPIRATION WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE ELT BATTERY WAS DUE FOR REPLACEMENT IN SEPT. I GNDED THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY, AND SCHEDULED IT IN FOR THE BATTERY REPLACEMENT. FOR SOME REASON, I JUST MISSED IT DURING THE PAST FEW OIL CHANGES AND 50 HR INSPECTIONS. TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, I HAVE MADE UP A CARD WITH THE DATES OF ALL CRITICAL INSPECTIONS (ANNUAL, ALTIMETER, TRANSPONDER, ELT BATTERY, ETC) FOR POSTING IN THE AIRPLANE. IT IS IRONIC THAT I MISSED THIS REPLACEMENT DATE, SINCE WE POST OIL CHANGE TIMES ON POST-IT NOTES RIGHT ON THE TACHOMETERS AND KEEP A SPECIAL LOG FOR VOR CHKS, AND RELIGIOUSLY PERFORM BOTH.

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.