Question for an Inspector...

DonAlejandro

Well-Known Member
Well, today i probably had my luckiest and unluckiest moment in aviation all at once...

It was early morning. Im working for a VFR traffic survey company. I preflighted the plane inside the hanger cuz its lighted and warm and it was pitch black outside at 5am. Then pulled the plane out of the hanger. In my distraction to make sure that I closed the hanger door, forgot to take off the towbar from the Cessna 172's nosewheel.

Taxied, took-off, then landed with it. Parked in front of the FBO to have it fueled, and out walks a nice gentleman to see if everything is OK... he very nicely asks me how it could have happened, and luckily that nothing went wrong. He then told me it must be my unlucky day, cuz he's an FAA inspector. Just passing through the airport cuz there isnt an office on the field or anything like that...he just happened to be at the right place at the right time...

Asked me for my credentials, i complied and saw his aswell. He was very polite about things, he took down my name and certificate #.... said that he wouldnt worry much about this, but that i should get a call from the Ops Inspector for the area...

My question, if there is a nice enough FAA inspector around here to comment, is... what should i expect? Im furloughed from an airline, and this isnt what i wanted to happen while im waiting to go back. Im always so careful and cautious with everything i do as a pilot...feels really crappy to do something like this. I thank god that nothing worse happened. I was able to handle the aircraft without any damage to any aircraft, persons or property, thank god.... Just kinda needed to get it off my chest i guess, if anybody has any advice...feel free

Thanks
 
Sorry to hear that. I am just a line pilot but I would write down right now everything you can remember that was said in your conversation. I would then seriously contemplate contacting an aviation attorney before that calls come; just to CYA and protect yourself as much as possible. Hopefully, they take the attitude of no harm no foul.

FILE A NASA REPORT NOW....It just may save the day if they try to pull anything.

here is the link to file one electronically.

http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/report/electronic.html
 
I really don't think that they will make a big deal out of it. I would cooperate with the FAA and explain it to them just like you did in your post. If you mention well I need to talk to an attorney or decide not to cooperate then you could present yourself with a problem. Cooperate first then if they just want to be total a-holes about it then yes seek professional advice. But I think if you explain to them what happened and cooperate it might work out in your favor. Good luck.
 
Sorry to hear that. I am just a line pilot but I would write down right now everything you can remember that was said in your conversation. I would then seriously contemplate contacting an aviation attorney before that calls come; just to CYA and protect yourself as much as possible. Hopefully, they take the attitude of no harm no foul.

FILE A NASA REPORT NOW....It just may save the day if they try to pull anything.

here is the link to file one electronically.

http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/report/electronic.html

:yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat:
 
Yeah but I doubt he's more likely to get violated because of the post. Dunno what I'd do; probably file a NASA, have an attorney in mind, and hope they don't call.
 
One might question the wisdom of posting about it in detail in an online forum.
I was going to say "oh, the anonymity of online posting..."
Then I saw the handle.
That's not helping.

I say file a NASA.
I doubt mention of a towbar is on your checklists, and whether it should be or not be is up to you. I doubt you'll forget the towbar from now on. Then again, you already preflighted in the hangar.

How did you forget it? Did you get distracted by something?
 
One might question the wisdom of posting about it in detail in an online forum.

You have been on JC for a while? Many post of these types of questions. Nothing wrong with asking about advice from people. Nothing in detail was written. Also nothing here on JC can really be tied to a person as well. No clue where he's from and what airport this happened at.
 
If he seems nice, he might be willing to work with you and maybe not violate you. I would go on the offensive, however, and talk to an aviation attorney.
 
Bummer.... a mod deleted EVFO's comment before I had a chance to respond. You mods are on top of things!
 
Also nothing here on JC can really be tied to a person as well.
Really? You think this is stuff is anonymous from someone who is actually trying to get the information?

And, of course there's nothing wrong with asking for advice from people. But we recently had a discussion about how to respond to an LOI with a bunch of people saying "don't, the FAA only wants you to admit things."

Seems to me to sort of defeat the purpose of being quiet during an investigation to admitting things on a public forum.
 
Really? You think this is stuff is anonymous from someone who is actually trying to get the information?

And, of course there's nothing wrong with asking for advice from people. But we recently had a discussion about how to respond to an LOI with a bunch of people saying "don't, the FAA only wants you to admit things."

Seems to me to sort of defeat the purpose of being quiet during an investigation to admitting things on a public forum.

Why are you on here arguing that the FAA is going to get a copy of it. Newsflash to you....They just figured out about youtube, I doubt they scroll through all the message boards every single day and try to figure out reasons to bust pilots. The FAA guy already saw the guy with the tow bar attached so how is his story on here a danger to his certs? <edited>
 
I'm really not in the mood to get into this right now. It's just going to go no where. In the mean time, EVFO, have yourself a wonderful afternoon.
 
Why are you on here arguing that the FAA is going to get a copy of it. Newsflash to you....They just figured out about youtube, I doubt they scroll through all the message boards every single day and try to figure out reasons to bust pilots. The FAA guy already saw the guy with the tow bar attached so how is his story on here a danger to his certs? <edited>

:rolleyes: Oh please don't let this thread end up in the Lav.:rolleyes:
 
Sorry to hear about that. How in the world did you take off and land with out that thing bouncing up and hitting something, like the prop???? I give you props for that! (hahaha)


I don't think posting on here will hurt you in any way.

Are you a member of AOPA? I don't know if I would contact an attorney directly just yet, but you might call AOPA legal services if you are a member and get some advice from them.

On a side note, do you guys see any correlation to making stupid mistakes when having early morning flights? I have been watching a lot of "Air Emergency" and "Seconds from Disaster" episodes, and I have noticed almost all of them begin with ridiculous early show times, or maintanence issues resulting from mechanics working in the wee hours of the night. I don't think it is a big deal if you always fly on the backside because you adjust to your schedule, but when it is the exception instead of the norm it seems easy to make mistakes.
 
I have seen a guy in a Piper Cherokee forget the tow bar. He went to start the engine and WHAP. He then picked up the tow bar and started the engine and left the airport. Good thing the prop on the Cessna has good clearance from the tow bar.
 
Here's one for you... There is a doctor that keeps his Cirrus at our airport. He has forgot about the tow bar not once, but twice. Both times he did some good damage to the plane. You know the way on military aircraft they have the markings showing how many aircraft they shot down, etc. Well, he has those on the back side window of his Cirrus except his represent how many times he has screwed his own plane up. He thinks there is a joke to be made of it.

This is also the same guy who once owned a light twin. He showed up at the airport one day after being gone for a few weeks and jumped in his plane without doing a preflight. He didn't even check the fuel. Well, if he didn't even bother checking the fuel what's gonna make you think he is going to untie the rear rope. He only untied the ropes under the wings. He jumped in, fired her on up, and tried to taxi out. You should have seen how high he had those engines powered up trying to get the plane rolling out of the parking spot. All he was doing was making the knot tighter and tighter. He finally cut the power and got out. Needless to say he had to cut the rope.
 
Since you're a furloughed airline guy, does ALPA legal give you advice on GA issues? It's at least worth the phone call to find out.
 
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