19950423018439I

NARRATIVE: THE CALL WAS FIRST RECEIVED FROM LARRY ENG WITH THE ISP FLIGHT SERVICE STATION. HE STATED THAT AN AIRCRAFT WITH DAMAGED PROPS TOOK-OFF FROM KINGSTON AIRPORT, NC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MR. ENG SAID THAT THE WATCH SUPERVISOR FOR THE RALEIGH-DURHAM FLIGHT SERVICE STATION HAD ALSO NOTIFIED E.P.I.C. HE SAID THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADED FOR FARMINGDALE, DUE AT ABOUT 9:30AM. THE R.O.C.C. DUTY OFFICER, ED FRANCO, WAS THEN CONTACTED. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, A DECISION WAS MADE TO CONTACT NORA ZABBA, OF THE NEW YORK CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY OFFICE. SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE AIRPORT AND POLICE BE CONTACTED. THE OPERATIONS CENTER AND CFR AT FRG WAS THEN CONTACTED. FRANK RAPPOLD, THE DUTY OFFICER, STATED THAT HIS RECORDS SHOWED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO FRANCIS MILLEN ^PRIVACY DATA OMIT^ HE ALSO SAID THAT HE WOULD INFORM THE NEXT DUTY OFFICER OF THE SITUATION. CAPTAIN CORCORAN OF THE NYS POLICE, AT FARMINGDALE, WAS THEN CONTACTED. HE STATED THAT UNLESS THERE WAS INDEED SOME ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, THE NYS POLICE COULD NOT DETAIN THE AIRCRAFT. AT APPROXIMATELY 9:25AM, THE FRG-FSDO DUTY OFFICER WAS NOTIFIED BY THE R.O.C.C. THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD DIVERTED TO ATLANTIC CITY (ACY). WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LANDED, U.S. CUSTOMS OFFICIALS WAS THERE TO GREET THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN SEARCHED AND THE PILOT QUESTIONED. THEY FOUND NO ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES BUT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED. THE PILOT TOLD THE CUSTOMS OFFICER THAT HE WAS FERRYING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE NEW OWNER AT FRG. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN ALLOWED TO TAKE-OFF AND WAS NOW ON ITS WAY TO FRG. AT 10:11 AM LOCAL TIME THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AND TAXIED TO THE MILLIONAIRE NORTH RAMP. PETE HURLEY OF FRG CFR AND INSPECTOR GEORGE MARRERO MET THE AIRCRAFT ALONG WITH THE NYS POLICE. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE WAS CURRENT. HOWEVER, THE TEMPORARY REGISTRATION MADE OUT TO MICHAEL LEB, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITT^ HAD EXPIRED (DATED 12-30-94). THE LOGBOOKS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE LAST ANNUAL PERFORMED ON 02-16-95 AT 4589.31 ACTT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY HAROLD YOUNG IA14367; THERE WAS RECORD OF THE AIRCRAFT'S DAMAGE RECORDED IN THE LOGS. THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVED AT FRG WITH THE FOLLOWING DAMAGE: ONE PROPELLER TIP DAMAGED (APPROX. 1.5" MISSING); FIBERGLASS NOSE WHEEL FAIRING DAMAGED; LEFT MAIN WHEEL FAIRING DAMAGED; UNDERSIDE RIGHT WING FAIRING AT FUSELAGE JOINT DAMAGED. THE POINTS OF LANDING WERE SUPPLIED BY THE PILOT: BRUNSWICK, HUNTER, SAVANNAH, CHARLESTON, WILMINGTON, NEW BERN, KINGSTON, NORFOLK, CAPE CHARLES, SNOW HILL, SEA ISLE, AND FRG. HE SAID HE STARTED FROM NORTH PERRY TO JAX. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE DAMAGE HE STATED THAT ON TAKE-OFF FROM NEW BERN HE FELT AS IF HE HIT A DEAD ANIMAL, BUT KEPT GOING BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DIMINISHED PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT. ONCE LANDING IN KINGSTON, HE DISCOVERED THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. HE SAID HE EXAMINED THE PROPELLER TO SEE HOW FAR DOWN IT WAS DAMAGED. HE THEN RAN-UP THE ENGINE AND THEN DECIDED IT WAS ALRIGHT TO CONTINUE. HE EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD DIVERTED TO ACY BECAUSE HE NEEDED FUEL. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE EXPIRED REGISTRATION HE STATED THAT HE NEW IT HAD EXPIRED BUT TOOK THE TRIP ANYWAY. OKC WAS CONTACTED TO VERIFY THE REGISTRATION, AND APPARENTLY THEY HAD RECEIVED THE PAPERWORK BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN PROCESSED YET. THE NEW OWNER THEN HAD THE AIRCRAFT REPAIRED AT A LOCAL REPAIR STATION.