1965 Piper Comanche N8688p

03/08/2023

All i have to say is buyer Beware. If you are doing your research on N8688P please take a look at my experiences and feel free to reach out via DM.

03/08/2023

03/08/2023

Fast forward to accepting the deal, I finally agreed to buy the aircraft. I called my title company, AIC, and after spending $700 in accommodation and borescoping, and another $500 to the owner/seller as a deposit, The aircraft title search came back with 4 total liens. 2 were mechanic liens the owner/seller placed out of paranoia someone might steal his plane. The other two were from a previous owner in California in 2005 (for missed taxes $5-$6k) and 2006 (for financing $66k). Now i owed my title company for running the search and the contact info on how to clear up the title issues which i passed on to the owner/seller.

I agreed to give him some time to clear the issue up, but i told him i wasn't going to sit around forever. Especially since i was actively seeking an aircraft. 2 months goes by with no change, and i had an active line on another comanche at a great price. I informed the Owner/Seller of N8688P and thanked him for his efforts. I asked for my deposit back since the deal not going through had nothing to do with me. He refused and said he was keeping it for his troubles.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be weary of dealings with a 1965 Piper Comanche N8688p

03/08/2023

I arrived dark and early and since the sun wasn't up yet, we decided to go and through the log books. What i discovered was that because the owner/seller was an A&P, he did a lot of his own maintenance, but failed to log every detail of what he did exactly. He claims to have removed the engine in 2010 when he lost his medical and i asked if it was properly preserved, and what exactly was done to preserve it. There was not record of the preserving process. Only removal and reinstallation 8-10 years later.

03/08/2023

I spent the next month planning a trip from Louisiana to St. George Utah to conduct a pre-buy examination and test flight. I decided to save a few bucks and booked on spirit airlines, booked a modest rental and average hotel to keep costs down when i arrived in Vegas to make the 2 hour drive to see N8688P.

03/08/2023

I first approached the seller of N8688P around the first week of December 2022 and agreed to his selling price. We seemed to bond over both having retired from active duty service and been career flyers in the military. He asked me for a $500 Deposit and because of the report we built up i didn't hesitate. I'm adding some pre-buy pictures for your view pleasure.