An Owner-Resisted Annual

If we’re being honest, how many of us can say that we look forward to dropping our prized, winged possession off at the maintenance hangar in giddy anticipation of the annual inspection? Although I do look forward to operating an airplane that is deemed airworthy for yet another year, my first thoughts involve the checkbook balance, then followed by fulfilling the obligation as a safe, responsible pilot and airplane owner.

In my former airline pilot life, I wasn’t paying the bills but rather the one getting paid, so mechanical discrepancies were of a different mindset. That said, if a mechanic deemed a discrepancy unairworthy it was rarely ever challenged. As a matter of fact, I offered praise—or at least a sincere thank you. My passengers’ safety and my crew’s safety depended on the synergy between pilots and mechanics.

So, it boggles the mind that the two people I trust most with my aviation safety were not only challenged but chastised simply for being diligent in their duties as A&P mechanics. It’s a horror story and a template for unacceptable behavior. I have been asked to change the names to protect the innocent.

Early Red Flags

The owner of one 1976 PA-28-151, better known as a Piper Warrior, approached A&P/IA and shop owner Jake that his airplane required an annual inspection. The Warrior owner had been a tenant of this particular Florida airport for over 20 years, mostly parked on a tie-down spot and recently moved to a hangar.

Jake was informed that the original mechanic, who had performed almost all of the owner’s annual inspections at a neighboring airport, was retiring. So, after over two decades of never patronizing Jake’s shop other than asking to borrow a jack that the neighboring airport’s A&P could use, the owner was now ready to conduct business.

For experienced mechanics this was a red flag. Assuming the retirement story was accurate, the question asked silently was, “Why would an owner endure the inconvenience of having maintenance performed off-field for all those years?” Loyalty? Cost?

Granted, any well-respected A&P will agree that having a different set of eyes inspect an airplane is advantageous even if it means another shop performs the annual. Perhaps this idea was a consideration for our Warrior owner. But probably not.

Inspection Time: More Red Flags

Aware that annual inspections had been performed by the same mechanic for many years, notwithstanding unfamiliarity with the airplane itself, “a deeper dive” was necessary according to Kevin, the shop’s other veteran A&P/IA. 

Almost the entire cabin floor was pulled up from the rudder pedals to the cargo bulkhead, exposing the main wing spar and the flight control cables, among other items. With the airplane having spent a good portion of its life outside in a Florida environment of sun, wind, and saltwater, it was best to uncover all the nooks and crannies.

A cursory look presented an airplane that was badly neglected. The registration certificate was expired. Enough dust balls and dirt were present as if it had been accumulating since President Gerald Ford was in the Oval Office. Lubrication of flight control pulleys and cables appeared nonexistent. A puddle of hydraulic fluid was found on the carpet underneath the pilot’s-side rudder pedals, an indication of a serious brake leak.

With the initial inspection raising more red flags, both Jake and Kevin were compelled to join forces. Normally, Kevin performs the bulk of the process, but this airplane was already commanding extra attention.

Shredded Wheat Game Changer

As inspection plates were removed, the vertical stabilizer soon became a focus. A handful of rivets were missing at the bottom of the vertical stabilizer skin just above the fuselage on both sides. Some of these rivets, whose heads were easily removed by a fingernail, had been painted over. The airplane had recently undergone a complete makeover, inclusive of interior.

One would like to think that a quality paint shop would at the very least replace rivets in the condition described above or at least inform the owner of a potential problem. If the paint shop didn’t investigate further, it most likely missed the actual condition of the vertical fin.

Pushing on the ailing rivets of the vertical stabilizer emitted crunching sounds. It became time for a borescope to peer inside. The camera revealed stunning photos of corrosion. Aluminum dust was everywhere. Once the entire vertical fin and rudder was removed more corrosion was found. The top rudder hinge had major corrosion damage. Jake described the condition as “shredded wheat,” a discrepancy that could have obvious in-flight consequences.

Unairworthy Issues Everywhere

Aside from the vertical stabilizer, the brakes leaked to such a degree that they were unusable. The clamps that secured the brake hoses in various locations were corroded to the point of being nonfunctional. The hoses themselves appeared to be the same age as the airplane, almost 50 years old. The master cylinder had a major leak. Both left and right brake discs were excessively pitted with no smooth surfaces. The parking brake latch couldn’t be set, which made it useless.

Here is the miscellaneous list of additional airworthy items:

• The Off detent for the cockpit fuel selector was nonfunctional.
• The left flap control rod was missing a spacer, which allowed for excessive side-to-side movement.
• The flight control pulleys were seized. Lubrication hadn’t been applied for years.
• The steel bolts that attached the landing gear to the main wing spar were corroded badly enough to require a cutting wheel for their removal and subsequent replacement.
• An exhaust pipe on one cylinder was worn to crepe paper thickness.
• Noncompliance with multiple ADs.

Owner’s Unairworthy Aircraft Attitude

About three days into the Warrior’s annual inspection, the owner arrived in what appeared to be a brand spanking new Corvette. Via a phone conversation earlier, he had been advised that the process was revealing some disturbing airworthiness items. He was visibly agitated upon entering the shop hangar.

The owner began the conversation with the fact he had never paid more than $2,500 for an annual inspection. Judging by the status of the airplane, the owner got what he paid for. Jake’s base fee for the inspection is $1,595. Considering the extent of the problems, the owner would have to believe in unicorns if he were to remain below that figure. 

As Jake conducted a show-and-tell tour of the Warrior’s issues, it was becoming clear that cost was the only focus. When the disaster of the vertical stabilizer was discussed, the owner pushed back on the basis that repairs would damage the new paint. He had paid $60,000 for both new paint and new interior.

The owner exclaimed, “All I want is a simple, basic annual! I thought this was a shop I could work with!” He whined that the airplane was only flown 10 to 15 hours a year, as if to correlate the lower operating time with lower operating expenses. And for whatever reason, he thought it was important to boast that he had seven figures in the bank. Go figure.

It’s About the Cost

The annual inspection remained in limbo for a period of time until the owner returned about a week later with his wife. His prevailing attitude was that the shop was essentially “padding the bill.” He claimed to have been in the autobody business and was well aware of these tactics. 

The attitude finally raised the ire of Kevin, who prefers most times to remain in the background. He looked at the owner and simply stated, “I’m not really worried about you killing yourself in the airplane.” Kevin quickly turned toward the wife and said, “I’m worried about you suing me after your husband kills himself.”

Kevin’s remarks ended the tense exchange, but the owner demanded an immediate estimate of the total cost. When Jake proclaimed $10,000 off the top of his head, Kevin scoffed, experience telling him that the estimate was probably much higher. The owner then ordered an itemized statement. After the owner departed, Jake complied, spending a couple hours on the estimate. The final tally was closer to $17,000.

When the owner returned to discuss the estimate, he proceeded to dispute almost every item. Once again he made accusations of a conspiracy to inflate costs. Despite Jake’s concerted efforts to prove otherwise by displaying online prices on the computer screen, it was to no avail. The discussion ended with an agreement to pay for miscellaneous repairs already completed. Most of the airworthy items remained unaddressed.

An Unhappy Ending

Before the Warrior rolled out of the shop, the owner had called other mechanics from the neighboring airport, hoping for a different result. After examining the airplane for a few moments, they refused to get involved.

Eventually, the Warrior was reassembled and then brought back to its hangar. The two major airworthiness items—the vertical stabilizer and brakes—remained unrepaired. The owner refused to sign an affidavit acknowledging both the unairworthy items and his withdrawal from further repair. Printed on a sticker, Jake listed the numerous discrepancies along with an unsatisfactory annual inspection logbook entry. Unfortunately, the owner reclaimed the logbooks without accepting the sticker.

It wasn’t long after this sordid affair had concluded that the airplane was seen flying again. FlightAware tracking data will attest to the Warrior’s operation. A reliable source indicated the airplane was being used for primary flight instruction. Were the repairs made? Judging by the length of time required to fix just the airworthiness discrepancies, it doesn’t seem possible. It’s cringeworthy.

Good News/Bad News

The bad news is that the owner sold the airplane to someone who has absolutely no understanding of airplanes, let alone aviation. The new owner bought the airplane as a trainer for her son, who is an aspiring professional pilot. She was told that the airplane had successfully completed an annual inspection, which apparently it had. An out-of-town A&P had come to the rescue and signed the logbooks with a simple entry that the airplane was in compliance with the requirements of an annual inspection. No repair list. No details. Wow.

The good news is that the new owner has been informed of the actual airworthiness of the Warrior by the heroes of the shop from whence it began its annual inspection. All the details and documents were presented. The new owner wanted the airplane repaired. Good news.

Lessons Learned

In my view, the original owner of the Warrior should not possess a pilot’s certificate. Period. Based on how he handled this maintenance event, he is reckless and irresponsible and a danger to the lives of others. At some point or another we are all guilty of focusing on our checkbooks first rather than praising the expert who found a potentially hazardous problem.

Perhaps we can repent by repressing the instinct to shoot the messenger. Instead, let’s thank them for doing their jobs well. I apologize to all the A&Ps, airline and general aviation alike, to which a “thank you” was not uttered in appreciation of their service.