Narrative:

I arrived in pwm, me, at approximately XF30 pm. The plane was refueled and tied down. I left the airport and returned at XJ30 pm. I have a white canvas canopy cover. I removed this and then opened the plane to get a flashlight for my preflight. Upon calling ground, I was asked if I had spoken to an FAA representative. I said no. I couldn't understand why I was supposed to. I then restated that I was a new pilot and wasn't familiar with the airport, 'why was I to have seen an FAA person?' the ground controller then asked if I saw a sticker on the plane. I again stated no, because I had rolled up the canopy canvas and never noticed the sticker due to the darkness. It wasn't until I arrived home and was putting the canopy cover on, inside the lighted hangar, that I found this sticker I was supposed to have seen. At that time the earlier conversation with the controller made sense. I also realized that written on the sticker was instructions to repair the propeller spinner and not move the plane because even a ferry permit would not be issued. (Too late! We were now at the home airport!) I believe the problem, in terms of the sticker placement and darkness contributed to the sequence of events. I am also a novice pilot, so I'm still learning procedure details. I had questioned the controller and didn't stop to think I could have asked more questions if I had known what questions to ask! The plane is now being repaired to alleviate the spinner problem. On aug/xx/93 I called the FAA representative and we resolved the problem satisfactorily. He agreed on the placement being potentially unseeable and understood the confusion. I am to get the spinner replaced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT INADVERTENTLY OPERATED THE ACFT WHEN IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION SINCE IT HAD BEEN GNDED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR FOR A PROP SPINNER PROB.

Narrative: I ARRIVED IN PWM, ME, AT APPROX XF30 PM. THE PLANE WAS REFUELED AND TIED DOWN. I LEFT THE ARPT AND RETURNED AT XJ30 PM. I HAVE A WHITE CANVAS CANOPY COVER. I REMOVED THIS AND THEN OPENED THE PLANE TO GET A FLASHLIGHT FOR MY PREFLT. UPON CALLING GND, I WAS ASKED IF I HAD SPOKEN TO AN FAA REPRESENTATIVE. I SAID NO. I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS SUPPOSED TO. I THEN RESTATED THAT I WAS A NEW PLT AND WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT, 'WHY WAS I TO HAVE SEEN AN FAA PERSON?' THE GND CTLR THEN ASKED IF I SAW A STICKER ON THE PLANE. I AGAIN STATED NO, BECAUSE I HAD ROLLED UP THE CANOPY CANVAS AND NEVER NOTICED THE STICKER DUE TO THE DARKNESS. IT WASN'T UNTIL I ARRIVED HOME AND WAS PUTTING THE CANOPY COVER ON, INSIDE THE LIGHTED HANGAR, THAT I FOUND THIS STICKER I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE SEEN. AT THAT TIME THE EARLIER CONVERSATION WITH THE CTLR MADE SENSE. I ALSO REALIZED THAT WRITTEN ON THE STICKER WAS INSTRUCTIONS TO REPAIR THE PROP SPINNER AND NOT MOVE THE PLANE BECAUSE EVEN A FERRY PERMIT WOULD NOT BE ISSUED. (TOO LATE! WE WERE NOW AT THE HOME ARPT!) I BELIEVE THE PROB, IN TERMS OF THE STICKER PLACEMENT AND DARKNESS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. I AM ALSO A NOVICE PLT, SO I'M STILL LEARNING PROC DETAILS. I HAD QUESTIONED THE CTLR AND DIDN'T STOP TO THINK I COULD HAVE ASKED MORE QUESTIONS IF I HAD KNOWN WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK! THE PLANE IS NOW BEING REPAIRED TO ALLEVIATE THE SPINNER PROB. ON AUG/XX/93 I CALLED THE FAA REPRESENTATIVE AND WE RESOLVED THE PROB SATISFACTORILY. HE AGREED ON THE PLACEMENT BEING POTENTIALLY UNSEEABLE AND UNDERSTOOD THE CONFUSION. I AM TO GET THE SPINNER REPLACED.

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.