An experimental aircraft was flown to a maintenance facility by a pilot owner and may have been flow...

Attributes
ACN	657252
Time
Date	200505
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
ASRS Report	657252
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

Pilot/owner chose to repos experimental aircraft from ZZZ to ZZZ1. It is possible that; depending on ultimate finding as to need to comply with all lycoming engine airworthiness directives; the aircraft may have been technically out of compliance. Following landing; pilot/owner investigated issue on-line and found evidence that requirement to comply with airworthiness directives (even on experimental aircraft) may apply. Pilot/owner has now grounded aircraft pending resolution of airworthiness directive issue. The aircraft was flown because owner/pilot failed to accept possibility that 18 yrs of previous annuals may be in error and that as a result the aircraft might be unairworthy. Telephone calls (pre subject flight) between my mechanic; FAA; and an aircraft association indicated considerable disagreement over the legal requirements for the airworthiness directives. It appeared at the time that we were dealing with knowledgeable people and 1 rather difficult FAA person (in ZZZ1). I decided to accept the aircraft association's position (and that of all the mechanics who found my plane airworthy over 18 yrs and flew the plane for 10 mins back to ZZZ1.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT WAS FLOWN TO A MAINT FACILITY BY A PLT OWNER AND MAY HAVE BEEN FLOWN IN NON COMPLIANCE OF AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE.

Narrative: PLT/OWNER CHOSE TO REPOS EXPERIMENTAL ACFT FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT; DEPENDING ON ULTIMATE FINDING AS TO NEED TO COMPLY WITH ALL LYCOMING ENG AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES; THE ACFT MAY HAVE BEEN TECHNICALLY OUT OF COMPLIANCE. FOLLOWING LNDG; PLT/OWNER INVESTIGATED ISSUE ON-LINE AND FOUND EVIDENCE THAT REQUIREMENT TO COMPLY WITH AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES (EVEN ON EXPERIMENTAL ACFT) MAY APPLY. PLT/OWNER HAS NOW GNDED ACFT PENDING RESOLUTION OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ISSUE. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN BECAUSE OWNER/PLT FAILED TO ACCEPT POSSIBILITY THAT 18 YRS OF PREVIOUS ANNUALS MAY BE IN ERROR AND THAT AS A RESULT THE ACFT MIGHT BE UNAIRWORTHY. TELEPHONE CALLS (PRE SUBJECT FLT) BTWN MY MECH; FAA; AND AN ACFT ASSOCIATION INDICATED CONSIDERABLE DISAGREEMENT OVER THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES. IT APPEARED AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE AND 1 RATHER DIFFICULT FAA PERSON (IN ZZZ1). I DECIDED TO ACCEPT THE ACFT ASSOCIATION'S POS (AND THAT OF ALL THE MECHS WHO FOUND MY PLANE AIRWORTHY OVER 18 YRS AND FLEW THE PLANE FOR 10 MINS BACK TO ZZZ1.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

An experimental aircraft was flown to a maintenance facility by a pilot owner and may have been flown in non compliance of an airworthiness directive.