Question for an Inspector...

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.

I totally agree !! Thats what this forum is all about.... helping people
 
I know a guy who did it with a Comanche. Took off, retracted the gear, got to his destination, put the gear down and landed. All without any damage.

Of course, an FAA inspector didn't see, so it wasn't dangerous. :sarcasm:?
 
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.
:yup: that is classic! Would of been an easy five stars on YouTube.
 
Thanks to everyone for our opinions... its not like i can hide anything from the feds. I landed right in front of one... to my luck! yay!

Yea my plan is basically to wait for a phone call from them and go talk to an AOPA legal services lawyer for counsel... Unless, by god's grace, they leave me alone... i hope

Thanks for everyone's constructive opinions
 
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.

I'll back you up on that one.
Air State* figured out who I was after I lambasted their Dulles operation in one of my posts. Turns out one of the supervisor's kids was online googling and came across it. From there it was easy to find two guys named Kyle and Matt who both posted and ran ramp together. Matt managed to avoid the supervisorial discussion...

*I'll give you a clue: The state contains a city called Appleton.

Thanks to everyone for our opinions... its not like i can hide anything from the feds. I landed right in front of one... to my luck! yay!

Yea my plan is basically to wait for a phone call from them and go talk to an AOPA legal services lawyer for counsel... Unless, by god's grace, they leave me alone... i hope

Thanks for everyone's constructive opinions
Don't forget the NASA form.

get_out_of_jail_free_card_small_small.jpg


Seriously...
 
The Fed is probably obligated to report anything like that he may have witnessed first hand. Without any damage or injury, and your cooperative attitude, I would be extremely suprised if they made anything of it.

I have had my own encounter with a Federale, and had a follow up phone call. From my own experience, they basically reviewed my records, and looked for indications of a "safe pilot". One of the things the FSDO specifically mentioned is that they felt attending WINGS seminars demonstrated an attitude towards safety. Just food for thought. My encounter ended up OK without any further action taken, and was definitely a learning experience as I move further on in my career.
 
The Fed is probably obligated to report anything like that he may have witnessed first hand. Without any damage or injury, and your cooperative attitude, I would be extremely suprised if they made anything of it.

I have had my own encounter with a Federale, and had a follow up phone call. From my own experience, they basically reviewed my records, and looked for indications of a "safe pilot". One of the things the FSDO specifically mentioned is that they felt attending WINGS seminars demonstrated an attitude towards safety. Just food for thought. My encounter ended up OK without any further action taken, and was definitely a learning experience as I move further on in my career.


I truly believe it is just the luck of the draw. Some of those guys are real grade A a-holes, and some of them are the nicest people you will meet. Out at Ft. Worth, there are some great guys that have always helped me out, and then there are a few "choice" ones that are notorious for going out of their way to make you miserable.
 
Don't delay filing that NASA.

If it makes you feel any better, you're not the first person to have ever done that. There was a guy at an airport near where I used to instruct at who took off with the towbar installed.

Now, there's a FSDO on the field, and a million grass strips and uncontrolled airports in the vicinity of the field. The guy decides to come back and land at the airport he took off from...yes, where the FSDO is, rather than one of the other fields.

But hey, it could have been worse for you. Towbar could have bounced up and hit the prop on landing.

Just file the NASA. I'll be honest, I wouldn't trust an inspector even though he said "don't worry about it." It might not be a bad idea to talk to an aviation attorney over the phone and see if he recommends anything else.
 
I tend towards the "don't worry but cover your bases" crowd. I've met Feds of both kinds, and the ones that seemed cool never blindsided me later. On the other hand, it's not going to hurt anything to file the NASA (although my understanding is that the NASA only fully protects you if you haven't already talked to the FAA) or to talk to an attorney "just in case".

PS. I had occasion to fly with a guy from a little Mom N Pop charter outfit that was covering an FLX run who didn't take "no" for an answer from the tail tiedown. He landed with about three inches of it still tied securely to the plane. Good times.
 
I walked out the the ramp at an FBO in SC once to find a tie down rope with the Metal loop from the tail of the Cessna laying on the ground.

Guy somehow pulled on it hard enough to pull the loop and rivets out of the back of his airplane. That must of been interesting to watch. I figured he must of thought he was powering over a chock or something..
 
Yea i definitely filled out a NASA form that very night and sent it priority mail the very next morning <THUMBS up>

Now the hard part...sit, wait, pray...

Definately consult with counsel before speaking with the feds. You probably will want to have a game plane when/if they call.
 
Now the hard part...sit, wait, pray...

Definately consult with consel before speaking with the feds. You probably will want to have a game plane when/if they call.
In fact, and especially if you have already paid for in in a plan like the AOPA LSP, make the connection now.

It does three important things:

1. It will create a relationship so that you already feel comfortable that someone in your corner knows what is going on.

2. Like briefing an IAP, it gives you the game plan now of what to do if or when that call or LOI comes (especially a call).

3. Having that relationship in place will make it more likely that you'll actually use it.
 
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