Pilot of a dehavilland twin otter DHC6 experienced, during an IFR flight, a VOR receiver failure and...

Attributes
ACN	487549
Time
Date	200009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Twin Otter DHC-6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Route In Use	enroute airway : v155.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	487549
Person 2
Affiliation	company other
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : dg & vor receiver other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After a long layoff from flying (under part 135 and part 121) I have recently been hired (part time) by a company that operates twin otters under part 91. My first assignment was to ferry from 30 mi northeast of rdu to 30 mi southeast of atl. As it was night, unfamiliar, and nobody was waiting for my arrival. I told my boss I would file IFR and he said fine. The WX was beautiful and the flight was uneventful. However, several small things occurred. The directional gyro precessed excessively, 1 VOR didn't work. What my question is: how does the PIC make a determination on the airworthiness if you never get to see any maintenance paperwork. It is all locked up in the owner's office. (This owner is good about adequate maintenance.) should not an owner be required to make logs readily available to the PIC for operations under part 91? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that she tried to find out the status of the aircraft's airworthiness condition prior to takeoff, but could not since the owner did not attempt to make the aircraft records available. Therefore, she was informed that, as the PIC, she has the responsibility to assure this, since there is no violation of an aircraft being unairworthy, in case there is, until the aircraft is operated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A DEHAVILLAND TWIN OTTER DHC6 EXPERIENCED, DURING AN IFR FLT, A VOR RECEIVER FAILURE AND EXCESSIVE PRECESSION OF THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO. IN ADDITION, RPTR DID NOT HAVE ANY ACFT RECORDS TO DETERMINE THE AIRWORTHINESS STATUS OF THE ACFT BEFORE OR DURING FLT.

Narrative: AFTER A LONG LAYOFF FROM FLYING (UNDER PART 135 AND PART 121) I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN HIRED (PART TIME) BY A COMPANY THAT OPERATES TWIN OTTERS UNDER PART 91. MY FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS TO FERRY FROM 30 MI NE OF RDU TO 30 MI SE OF ATL. AS IT WAS NIGHT, UNFAMILIAR, AND NOBODY WAS WAITING FOR MY ARR. I TOLD MY BOSS I WOULD FILE IFR AND HE SAID FINE. THE WX WAS BEAUTIFUL AND THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. HOWEVER, SEVERAL SMALL THINGS OCCURRED. THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO PRECESSED EXCESSIVELY, 1 VOR DIDN'T WORK. WHAT MY QUESTION IS: HOW DOES THE PIC MAKE A DETERMINATION ON THE AIRWORTHINESS IF YOU NEVER GET TO SEE ANY MAINT PAPERWORK. IT IS ALL LOCKED UP IN THE OWNER'S OFFICE. (THIS OWNER IS GOOD ABOUT ADEQUATE MAINT.) SHOULD NOT AN OWNER BE REQUIRED TO MAKE LOGS READILY AVAILABLE TO THE PIC FOR OPS UNDER PART 91? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT SHE TRIED TO FIND OUT THE STATUS OF THE ACFT'S AIRWORTHINESS CONDITION PRIOR TO TKOF, BUT COULD NOT SINCE THE OWNER DID NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE ACFT RECORDS AVAILABLE. THEREFORE, SHE WAS INFORMED THAT, AS THE PIC, SHE HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSURE THIS, SINCE THERE IS NO VIOLATION OF AN ACFT BEING UNAIRWORTHY, IN CASE THERE IS, UNTIL THE ACFT IS OPERATED.

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.

Pilot of a dehavilland twin otter DHC6 experienced, during an IFR flight, a VOR receiver failure and excessive precession of the directional gyro. In addition, reporter did not have any aircraft records to determine the airworthiness status of the aircraft before or during flight.