Far too often, A&P mechanics attack an aircraft with tools in an attempt to fix an issue based solely on a squawk by a pilot or aircraft owner without actually verifying for themselves that the description is accurate. Frequently, this results in costly and time-consuming maintenance that doesn't resolve the issue. This forum offers two real-life stories to illustrate this problem, and talks about what pilots and mechanics can do to prevent it from happening. Session type: Forum — Skyfarer is not affiliated with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) or EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. This session is listed for informational purposes from the official AirVenture 2026 schedule. Times and locations can change during the event — verify on the official session page: https://events.rdmobile.com/Sessions/Details/3539794