Quick answer

The records, inspections, communications, and physical evidence that can matter when aircraft damage or maintenance work becomes disputed.

Preserve the aircraft, parts, and chronology

Aircraft disputes often turn on chronology: the aircraft’s condition before delivery, the work authorized, who performed or supervised it, what was recorded, what inspections occurred, and when a defect or damage was discovered. Preserve the aircraft, parts, and records before repair, disposal, alteration, or routine overwriting changes the evidence.

Maintenance records are only the beginning

Federal regulations require maintenance-record entries describing work performed and generally require owners or operators to retain specified maintenance records for defined periods. 14 C.F.R. §§ 43.9, 91.417 (2026). Those federal requirements do not replace broader litigation-preservation duties or the need to retain contracts, work orders, estimates, invoices, photographs, videos, messages, parts tags, inspection reports, flight and engine data, and insurance communications.

Separate technical findings from legal conclusions

Separate what is known from what is suspected. A qualified mechanic, inspector, engineer, appraiser, or other technical professional may be needed to evaluate airworthiness, causation, repair scope, diminution in value, or whether the records match the work actually performed. Legal counsel and technical experts serve different roles.

Identify every deadline and responsible party

Deadlines may arise from contracts, warranties, insurance policies, statutes of limitation, administrative proceedings, or court rules. A prompt, organized record review helps identify the responsible parties, governing terms, available remedies, and whether emergency inspection or preservation steps are appropriate.

Practical next steps

  • Photograph and video the aircraft and disputed parts before repair, movement, teardown, or disposal.
  • Preserve logbooks, work orders, authorizations, invoices, tags, inspection findings, and electronic flight or engine data.
  • Record who had custody of the aircraft and parts at each stage.
  • Coordinate legal preservation with an appropriately qualified aviation professional when technical inspection is needed.

Primary sources