FAA Aircraft Records

[Marc_B]

https://aircraft.faa.gov/E.GOV/ND/AirRecordsND.aspx

Out of curiosity, what records does the FAA keep on aircraft?  Wondering if this is just regulatory filings vs actual helpful information to have in the file?

[A64Pilot]

Every 337 that's ever been filed on the aircraft. Worth having in my opinion considering the cost.

Some records will be almost unreadable depending on aircraft age as they used to keep paper copies and when they switched to digital they used some kind of cheap POS scanner to digitize them.

[Yetti]

also aircraft ownership and stuff.  It was informative and can help with your AD report/check

[midlifeflyer]

The CD contains two files. One is named "Registration" and contains everything recorded with the FAA Registry from the very first sale from the factory. All the Bills of Sale, registrations, liens, lien releases, etc. Mostly of interest when buying an aircraft, although unless one knows what they are looking at, it's better to use a professional for that.

The other file is "Airworthiness." You'll even see the original application for the airworthiness certificate. Mostly it's 337s for major repairs, alterations, and replacement equipment. Here's the airworthiness application for a 1967 Mooney Ranger

 

[47U]

I would advocate reviewing the FAA records CD as part of a pre-purchase inspection.  You never know what might be hiding there.

When I reviewed the FAA records on my airplane (a couple years after purchase), I discovered a 337 documenting repairs made after a gear-up that happened in the fall of 1963 when the airplane was only 6 months out of the factory.  There was no reference to the gear up in the airframe log book, nor was the 337 with the mx records.  Surprise, surprise.  

The other thing I discovered was in the late 1960s, a 337 is referenced in the airframe log book for a propellor change.  This was before propellor logbooks were the standard.  The entry stated i.e., “Changed prop, see 337” with a date and signature.  That 337 was NOT included in the FAA records.  The blades on that prop failed spec during overhaul in the mid 1990s, so the prop was replaced with a McCauley 3-blade.   But, I sure wish I had the missing 337.  Who’s to say there is not other repair information on it, possibly connected to why the prop was replaced?  I suspect another gear up, or perhaps a porpoise incident, and the engine logbook supports that hypothesis.  

I bought the airplane from my Dad in 2008.  He bought it in 1973.  Is a missing 337 from the 1960s a big deal some 50+ years later?  I guess I’ll find out when I sell her, hopefully another 10 or 15 years down the road.

[FlyingDude]

1 hour ago, 47U said:

Is a missing 337 from the 1960s a big deal some 50+ years later?

Concerning my plane's missing logs until 1980, my prebuy mechanic said that if a plane flys regularly, any damage that happened before 11 years ago doesn't matter anymore, because any related issue would have had enough time to resurface...

[midlifeflyer]

1 hour ago, FlyingDude said:

Concerning my plane's missing logs until 1980, my prebuy mechanic said that if a plane flys regularly, any damage that happened before 11 years ago doesn't matter anymore, because any related issue would have had enough time to resurface...

It really only might matter to a later purchaser.

[FlyingDude]

23 minutes ago, midlifeflyer said:

It really only might matter to a later purchaser.

No, it matters to the current owner too. Imagine you had a major repair done. Was it done well? If you don't get issues for 11 years, then you're good.

[midlifeflyer]

23 hours ago, FlyingDude said:

No, it matters to the current owner too. Imagine you had a major repair done. Was it done well? If you don't get issues for 11 years, then you're good.

That's what I said. A prospective purchaser might still choose an airplane which didn't have that history over one that did. 

Edited February 5, 2022 by midlifeflyer

[LANCECASPER]

If you are serious about buying a particular airplane, the quickest way I've seen to get the records is to order them through Aerospace Reports. https://www.aerospacereports.com/services

You get them e-mailed within 24 hours.

[1964-M20E]

I've ordered the FA records on several planes through the years when looking for one.  This is a great option to find some missing doucmtnes in your log book.  However, while for legal and technical airworthy definition a missing 337 might be an issue but if something was done 20, 30, 40 or 50 years ago and there are no issues with the install especially if it is something that is standard change or modification such as root fairings or flap gap seals etc. personally I don't see any issue.  Now if one was looking at an E model with a 300hp IO540 hanging off the front of it now I would definitely want to see some real accurate paperwork.

[Floyd]

337 are not always as useful as you would think about prior damage.  What was done for the repair should be listed but not the reason for the repair.

So reading a 337 about a gear up would say what was done but not that the plane had a gear up.