Inoperative Equipment

The overall reason we conduct a preflight inspection is to verify everything on the airplane is both present and working. We check fluids, tire and strut inflation, look for damage and wiggle things like ailerons and rudders to ensure theyre working as they should. Once were satisfied the airplane is ready to fly, we mount up and launch. But what if we find a piece of equipment thats not working? Can we still fly?

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Monday, May 16, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Determining if an aircraft can fly with inoperative equipment requires consulting specific regulations, primarily FAR 91.213(d), 91.205, and 91.207.
The decision hinges on whether the failed equipment is legally required by the aircraft's POH/AFM, applicable Airworthiness Directives, or other supplements for the planned flight conditions (e.g., Day VFR, Night, IFR).
All inoperative equipment not required for flight must be disabled and clearly placarded "INOPERATIVE" to ensure legal compliance.
Beyond legal requirements, the Pilot in Command (PIC) holds the ultimate responsibility to assess if flying with the inoperative equipment is genuinely safe for the intended mission and conditions, prioritizing safety over minimum compliance.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The overall reason we conduct a preflight inspection is to verify everything on the airplane is both present and working. We check fluids, tire and strut inflation, look for damage and wiggle things like ailerons and rudders to ensure they’re working as they should. Once we’re satisfied the airplane is ready to fly, we mount up and launch. But what if we find a piece of equipment that’s not working? Can we still fly?

The quick answer is it depends on the equipment that’s broken and the conditions of the planned flight. To help us make the correct determination, one that is both legal and safe, there are some regulations to follow and some paperwork to check. If the failed equipment isn’t required by regulation or the airplane’s documentation, it’s likely we can fly but we may need one more piece of paper to make it all legal.