Narrative:

During annual inspection part 43 in the far requires inspection of the battery box, battery must be svced, and charged. In this situation during an annual inspection, I write a squawk for the a&P helper to service and change the battery. At that time, when the battery is removed, I inspect the battery box. First problem was I, as the chief inspector, had failed to write the squawk to have the battery svced and charged. So, the battery was never removed from the aircraft. Then the second problem was that the battery box was never inspected by me. Since this complete step in the process was skipped, I did not know that the battery that was installed was a car battery and not FAA-approved. The battery was discovered when the aircraft was delivered to the owner during battery top charging. At this time, the owner contacted me. The company I work for shipped him a new battery right away to correct the problem. To solve this problem, maintenance shop has designed a new annual squawk sheet. Instead of having the inspector write down the squawk to have the battery removed, svced and charged, it's already printed stating 'squawk: remove battery, service, charge and have inspector reinstall battery.' I feel this will prevent this from ever occurring again in this shop.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE23 WAS RELEASED FROM ANNUAL INSPECTION WITHOUT THE REQUIRED BATTERY BOX AND BATTERY INSPECTION. DISCOVERED BY OWNER THAT RPTR INSTALLED AUTO BATTERY.

Narrative: DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION PART 43 IN THE FAR REQUIRES INSPECTION OF THE BATTERY BOX, BATTERY MUST BE SVCED, AND CHARGED. IN THIS SIT DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, I WRITE A SQUAWK FOR THE A&P HELPER TO SVC AND CHANGE THE BATTERY. AT THAT TIME, WHEN THE BATTERY IS REMOVED, I INSPECT THE BATTERY BOX. FIRST PROB WAS I, AS THE CHIEF INSPECTOR, HAD FAILED TO WRITE THE SQUAWK TO HAVE THE BATTERY SVCED AND CHARGED. SO, THE BATTERY WAS NEVER REMOVED FROM THE ACFT. THEN THE SECOND PROB WAS THAT THE BATTERY BOX WAS NEVER INSPECTED BY ME. SINCE THIS COMPLETE STEP IN THE PROCESS WAS SKIPPED, I DID NOT KNOW THAT THE BATTERY THAT WAS INSTALLED WAS A CAR BATTERY AND NOT FAA-APPROVED. THE BATTERY WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE ACFT WAS DELIVERED TO THE OWNER DURING BATTERY TOP CHARGING. AT THIS TIME, THE OWNER CONTACTED ME. THE COMPANY I WORK FOR SHIPPED HIM A NEW BATTERY RIGHT AWAY TO CORRECT THE PROB. TO SOLVE THIS PROB, MAINT SHOP HAS DESIGNED A NEW ANNUAL SQUAWK SHEET. INSTEAD OF HAVING THE INSPECTOR WRITE DOWN THE SQUAWK TO HAVE THE BATTERY REMOVED, SVCED AND CHARGED, IT'S ALREADY PRINTED STATING 'SQUAWK: REMOVE BATTERY, SVC, CHARGE AND HAVE INSPECTOR REINSTALL BATTERY.' I FEEL THIS WILL PREVENT THIS FROM EVER OCCURRING AGAIN IN THIS SHOP.

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.