Narrative:

I flew our company CJ2 to canada with passenger for a fishing trip to cybl. We parked in the parking area; which is a large flat square of asphalt with no tie-downs available. Covers were put on; doors locked; wheels chocked etc; and we headed for the hotel. One night during our stay there was an unforecast snow at the airport of about 14 inches. That morning I went to the airport to clear the plane and local line personnel had already done this; however; the plane had fallen on its aft belly due to the weight of the heavy snow. Upon hearing this news; I inspected for damage and found the lower communication antenna and tail tie-down bent and slightly deformed; along with some small amount of warping of the lower skin about 8 inches in length. Of course; I began calling our director of maintenance and had 2 local mechanics inspect the plane to determine the extent of the damage. All 3 of the maintenance people and myself agreed that the damage did not pose any problem for flight despite the appearance. Our director of maintenance had also talked with an engineer from cessna to make this determination; using drawings; digital photos and other means. I elected to bring the plane home to our maintenance hangar without passenger by myself and did so; based on all the information. I felt that the plane was airworthy to fly and had no problem flying it to our home base. Only days after bringing it home did I begin to think about the requirements for a ferry flight or permit. I thought; does hail damage; for example; require a permit? Depends on how severe I suppose. Does really bad paint require a permit to ferry? Where is the line drawn as to unairworthy; not counting normal inspections that are clearly defined. As far as far 91.7; the PIC has final authority/authorized to airworthiness; so it's a judgement call by that. None of the mechanics mentioned the need for one so I assumed none was required; assumption being what it is.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CJ2 PLT QUESTIONS THE NEED FOR A FERRY PERMIT AFTER ACFT IS DAMAGED IN A SNOW STORM.

Narrative: I FLEW OUR COMPANY CJ2 TO CANADA WITH PAX FOR A FISHING TRIP TO CYBL. WE PARKED IN THE PARKING AREA; WHICH IS A LARGE FLAT SQUARE OF ASPHALT WITH NO TIE-DOWNS AVAILABLE. COVERS WERE PUT ON; DOORS LOCKED; WHEELS CHOCKED ETC; AND WE HEADED FOR THE HOTEL. ONE NIGHT DURING OUR STAY THERE WAS AN UNFORECAST SNOW AT THE ARPT OF ABOUT 14 INCHES. THAT MORNING I WENT TO THE ARPT TO CLR THE PLANE AND LCL LINE PERSONNEL HAD ALREADY DONE THIS; HOWEVER; THE PLANE HAD FALLEN ON ITS AFT BELLY DUE TO THE WT OF THE HVY SNOW. UPON HEARING THIS NEWS; I INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE AND FOUND THE LOWER COM ANTENNA AND TAIL TIE-DOWN BENT AND SLIGHTLY DEFORMED; ALONG WITH SOME SMALL AMOUNT OF WARPING OF THE LOWER SKIN ABOUT 8 INCHES IN LENGTH. OF COURSE; I BEGAN CALLING OUR DIRECTOR OF MAINT AND HAD 2 LCL MECHS INSPECT THE PLANE TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. ALL 3 OF THE MAINT PEOPLE AND MYSELF AGREED THAT THE DAMAGE DID NOT POSE ANY PROB FOR FLT DESPITE THE APPEARANCE. OUR DIRECTOR OF MAINT HAD ALSO TALKED WITH AN ENGINEER FROM CESSNA TO MAKE THIS DETERMINATION; USING DRAWINGS; DIGITAL PHOTOS AND OTHER MEANS. I ELECTED TO BRING THE PLANE HOME TO OUR MAINT HANGAR WITHOUT PAX BY MYSELF AND DID SO; BASED ON ALL THE INFO. I FELT THAT THE PLANE WAS AIRWORTHY TO FLY AND HAD NO PROB FLYING IT TO OUR HOME BASE. ONLY DAYS AFTER BRINGING IT HOME DID I BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A FERRY FLT OR PERMIT. I THOUGHT; DOES HAIL DAMAGE; FOR EXAMPLE; REQUIRE A PERMIT? DEPENDS ON HOW SEVERE I SUPPOSE. DOES REALLY BAD PAINT REQUIRE A PERMIT TO FERRY? WHERE IS THE LINE DRAWN AS TO UNAIRWORTHY; NOT COUNTING NORMAL INSPECTIONS THAT ARE CLRLY DEFINED. AS FAR AS FAR 91.7; THE PIC HAS FINAL AUTH TO AIRWORTHINESS; SO IT'S A JUDGEMENT CALL BY THAT. NONE OF THE MECHS MENTIONED THE NEED FOR ONE SO I ASSUMED NONE WAS REQUIRED; ASSUMPTION BEING WHAT IT IS.

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.