Research a title

[coloradobluesky]

Is it possible that I could research a title (bill of sale) and liens on an aircraft, including, any unreleased liens from loans that have been paid off (I've heard that is the most frequent problem).

How would I go about doing that?

 

[flyingron]

The incomplete method is to check at the Aircraft registry in OKC. The sure way is to get a proper title search from a company that will warranty their findings through insurance.

 

[coloradobluesky]

How do I "check the Aircraft Registry at Oklahoma City?". What do I ask for? Phone, website, address??

 

[bluerooster]

First go to FAA.gov find the page where they sell you a CD containing all the info about the airplane in question. it will have 337s, registration (past and present) and also lein paperwork on file. Cost about $10 last time I got one. Or you could hire a title search company and pay them about $100 for essentially the same thing.
Either way it will be the best $$ ever spent prior to purchase of the airplane.
I once found that I was about to pull the trigger on an airplane that had a lien on it, (10 years old) Found that it had changed hands several times since the lien had been placed. I told the seller about it, and he went off like a grenade. Understandably so, lien was for about $5k, and he'd just sunk a small fortune into it. We contacted the lienholder in hopes that it just was a paperwork error, and it had been paid off. No it hadn't been paid off, and the lien holder hadn't persued it because they knew the airplane was a dog. But they hadn't written it off yet either. "Oh by the way where is it?" We declined to tell them just yet, and proceeded to do their legwork for them.
Got the guy to pay off his note, and got a letter of release from the lienholder.
By that time I was over it, and the airplane had other issues, which shouldn't be there with an asking price of $40k, and the seller wasn't comming off the price. So I walked with an education on the worth of a lien.

 

[coloradobluesky]

From what I understand, outstanding or non-released (but paid off) liens are the most common title problem.

 

[BillTIZ]

Paid for a title search on an aircraft. I had the $10 CD and it showed a lien that was 3 owners old. The title company would not insure a clean title because it was not clean.

Contacted the bank holding the papers. The bank had changed hands too. They researched, yes the lien had been paid. Turns out they had not filed the proper release papers with the FAA. They reacomplishlished the paperwork, gave me a copy and filed the correct original with the FAA. We bought the bird.

 

[Sleepingsquirrel]

From what I understand, outstanding or non-released (but paid off) liens are the most common title problem.

What good is a 30 year old lien on file with the FAA? Can a title company get a release that will satisfy the FAA?