Bent metal, broken paperwork

That distinction becomes especially important when buying a damaged aircraft. Rebuilding a damaged airframe can be one of aviation’s most rewarding projects—but turning it into a dispute over paperwork and aircraft identity is not.

An aircraft’s identity, airworthiness history, and ownership are established through its documentation. When those records are incomplete, inconsistent, or inaccurate, the task can shift from repairing the airplane to repairing the paperwork.

One of the most common issues involves missing or incomplete logbooks. Aircraft owners are responsible for retaining maintenance records under FAR 91.417, including documentation of inspections, airworthiness directive compliance, and major repairs or alterations. When logs are missing, an A&P/IA may have difficulty determining whether required inspections or ADs were completed. Insurers and future buyers may treat the aircraft as permanently diminished in value.

Buyers should be cautious of the so-called “paper airplane,” where only the aircraft’s paperwork is sold, not the aircraft itself. In the FAA’s view, the aircraft is more than simply a collection of paperwork.

The aircraft data plate is particularly important. The plate identifies the aircraft by manufacturer, model, and serial number and establishes the aircraft’s legal identity. If a data plate is missing, altered, or separated from the airframe, restoration can become complicated since replacements generally must come from the manufacturer or be authorized by the FAA. Attempting to attach a data plate from one aircraft to another raises serious regulatory concern and potentially violates FAA identification requirements under FAR 45.13. While you may find a data plate for sale online, it’s likely that attaching it to your aircraft is illegal.

Damage history can also raise regulatory concerns. Major repairs are required to be documented through maintenance log entries under FAR 43.9 and FAA Form 337. When major repairs are poorly documented—or not documented at all—the aircraft may face difficulties during inspection. These issues can be magnified when buying an accident aircraft that has not yet been repaired. Buyers should confirm the aircraft is repairable and that its records clearly establish the airframe’s identity.

In aircraft rebuilding, paperwork can matter as much as the metal. Before buying a project aircraft, make sure the records and identity are as sound as the repairs ahead.

Patrick Brooke is an in-house attorney with AOPA’s Legal Services Plan. He is a private pilot and a former panel attorney with the Pilot Protection Services program.

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