Narrative:

The problem arose as a result of a 'hard landing' after a high flare and high sink rate. I was instructing a private pilot for BFR and tailwheel transition, the right main landing gear collapsed -- runway was closed. This was considered an 'event' and not an 'accident' and there were no injuries to person or aircraft, other than stated. As a result the local FSDO was called and as part of the on-site investigation it was discovered that there was only an airworthiness certificate and a 'bill of sale' copy and no evidence of registration of the aircraft. This lack of registration on the airplane is a result of the following events: 1) I took title, through a corporation, to the airplane (J3 cub) on sep/xx/97, in maine from aircraft service (duly registered to them) and received a bill of sale. I flew the airplane back to beverly, ma, intending to file registration. By the way, the airplane was going to be registered to a corporation of which my daughter is president. This corporation is essentially set up for the purchase of the plane. 2) inadvertently, I did not register the airplane from time of taking title until after the event when I mailed in the application for registration on behalf of the corporation on nov/xx/97. I did find it later on the airplane. 3) I had actually made out the registration form right after the transfer of title and it was in the plane at time of FSDO investigation on site but I could not produce it because the pink copy (which is temporary 90 day registration) was still attached to the application which I could not find at the time, but which I found unmailed in airplane 3 days later, underneath junk on the baggage compartment. I then produced the pink copy to FSDO in nov/xx/97. Still I fear violation for it 'not being in aircraft.' the fix for me here is to pay more attention to arrow in any aircraft for safety reasons especially to see if aircraft is airworthy and has this certificate as well as registration. It was careless of me but not intentional.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR ON A BFR REVIEW AND TAILWHEEL TRANSITION FLT HAS GEAR COLLAPSE DUE TO HARD LNDG. RESULTING INSPECTION FINDS NO REGISTRATION FOR ACFT.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE AS A RESULT OF A 'HARD LNDG' AFTER A HIGH FLARE AND HIGH SINK RATE. I WAS INSTRUCTING A PVT PLT FOR BFR AND TAILWHEEL TRANSITION, THE R MAIN LNDG GEAR COLLAPSED -- RWY WAS CLOSED. THIS WAS CONSIDERED AN 'EVENT' AND NOT AN 'ACCIDENT' AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PERSON OR ACFT, OTHER THAN STATED. AS A RESULT THE LCL FSDO WAS CALLED AND AS PART OF THE ON-SITE INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS ONLY AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND A 'BILL OF SALE' COPY AND NO EVIDENCE OF REGISTRATION OF THE ACFT. THIS LACK OF REGISTRATION ON THE AIRPLANE IS A RESULT OF THE FOLLOWING EVENTS: 1) I TOOK TITLE, THROUGH A CORPORATION, TO THE AIRPLANE (J3 CUB) ON SEP/XX/97, IN MAINE FROM ACFT SVC (DULY REGISTERED TO THEM) AND RECEIVED A BILL OF SALE. I FLEW THE AIRPLANE BACK TO BEVERLY, MA, INTENDING TO FILE REGISTRATION. BY THE WAY, THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING TO BE REGISTERED TO A CORPORATION OF WHICH MY DAUGHTER IS PRESIDENT. THIS CORPORATION IS ESSENTIALLY SET UP FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PLANE. 2) INADVERTENTLY, I DID NOT REGISTER THE AIRPLANE FROM TIME OF TAKING TITLE UNTIL AFTER THE EVENT WHEN I MAILED IN THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION ON BEHALF OF THE CORPORATION ON NOV/XX/97. I DID FIND IT LATER ON THE AIRPLANE. 3) I HAD ACTUALLY MADE OUT THE REGISTRATION FORM RIGHT AFTER THE TRANSFER OF TITLE AND IT WAS IN THE PLANE AT TIME OF FSDO INVESTIGATION ON SITE BUT I COULD NOT PRODUCE IT BECAUSE THE PINK COPY (WHICH IS TEMPORARY 90 DAY REGISTRATION) WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE APPLICATION WHICH I COULD NOT FIND AT THE TIME, BUT WHICH I FOUND UNMAILED IN AIRPLANE 3 DAYS LATER, UNDERNEATH JUNK ON THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. I THEN PRODUCED THE PINK COPY TO FSDO IN NOV/XX/97. STILL I FEAR VIOLATION FOR IT 'NOT BEING IN ACFT.' THE FIX FOR ME HERE IS TO PAY MORE ATTN TO ARROW IN ANY ACFT FOR SAFETY REASONS ESPECIALLY TO SEE IF ACFT IS AIRWORTHY AND HAS THIS CERTIFICATE AS WELL AS REGISTRATION. IT WAS CARELESS OF ME BUT NOT INTENTIONAL.

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.