Aircraft tail number discrepancy with documents. Noted by air carrier inspection.

Attributes
ACN	303215
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lih
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 174 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 1060
ASRS Report	303215
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a FAA line inspection, the examiner noted 2 different tail numbers on the airworthiness and registration certificates. The company had recently changed the tail number but failed to update the paper work onboard the aircraft. We consulted with maintenance control to see if they had the correct paper work on file. Although none could be found, the inspector allowed the aircraft to be flown to ATC where the airplane was grounded. During the preflight inspection, neither the first officer nor myself caught this problem. I feel that if I had seen this discrepancy I would have called it to the attention of maintenance control before the aircraft left to start the trip. Also I feel that it was maintenance's duty to check out the aircraft's documentation when they sign off on the airworthiness release. All other documentation for the airplane was in order.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT TAIL NUMBER DISCREPANCY WITH DOCUMENTS. NOTED BY ACR INSPECTION.

Narrative: DURING A FAA LINE INSPECTION, THE EXAMINER NOTED 2 DIFFERENT TAIL NUMBERS ON THE AIRWORTHINESS AND REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES. THE COMPANY HAD RECENTLY CHANGED THE TAIL NUMBER BUT FAILED TO UPDATE THE PAPER WORK ONBOARD THE ACFT. WE CONSULTED WITH MAINT CTL TO SEE IF THEY HAD THE CORRECT PAPER WORK ON FILE. ALTHOUGH NONE COULD BE FOUND, THE INSPECTOR ALLOWED THE ACFT TO BE FLOWN TO ATC WHERE THE AIRPLANE WAS GNDED. DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION, NEITHER THE FO NOR MYSELF CAUGHT THIS PROB. I FEEL THAT IF I HAD SEEN THIS DISCREPANCY I WOULD HAVE CALLED IT TO THE ATTN OF MAINT CTL BEFORE THE ACFT LEFT TO START THE TRIP. ALSO I FEEL THAT IT WAS MAINT'S DUTY TO CHK OUT THE ACFT'S DOCUMENTATION WHEN THEY SIGN OFF ON THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE. ALL OTHER DOCUMENTATION FOR THE AIRPLANE WAS IN ORDER.

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.