Narrative:

This was this student's first solo and it had been quite a while in coming due to scheduling delays. He was anxious and excited to finally do it on his own. After doing 13 takeoffs and lndgs, including emergencys, I decided it was time. I had him taxi and let me out. He did 3 full stops and lane park to pick me up. He was very pleased and I congratulated him, and we flew back to our home base. After tying down I realized that I should have endorsed his log book and student license, and I asked him for these 2 items. I endorsed the log book, then took his third class medical. It was not a student license--rather just a regular third class, on which there is no place for student endorsements. I told him I would check and see what he should do. In talking with another instrument, he said he had the same problem and to just go to FSDO and they would exchange it. I instructed my student to do this. The persons there really gave him a hard time about soloing west/O the sign-off and did not exchange it. He did eventually get it straightened out by going back to the doctor. Actions on my part were being too complacent and not making good decisions. First, I should have signed everything before letting him solo. That would have caught the problem right there. Second, I suppose I could have signed the existing third class and thereby been all right. Third, never ask the FAA for help. I believe they are on a witch hunt and don't believe in human error. Last, the quality of my instruction was hampered by this student's pushing to be soloed--he was ready but I was not remembering my responsibilities.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR NEGLECTS TO CHECK STUDENT DOCUMENTATION BEFORE FIRST SOLO.

Narrative: THIS WAS THIS STUDENT'S FIRST SOLO AND IT HAD BEEN QUITE A WHILE IN COMING DUE TO SCHEDULING DELAYS. HE WAS ANXIOUS AND EXCITED TO FINALLY DO IT ON HIS OWN. AFTER DOING 13 TKOFS AND LNDGS, INCLUDING EMERS, I DECIDED IT WAS TIME. I HAD HIM TAXI AND LET ME OUT. HE DID 3 FULL STOPS AND LANE PARK TO PICK ME UP. HE WAS VERY PLEASED AND I CONGRATULATED HIM, AND WE FLEW BACK TO OUR HOME BASE. AFTER TYING DOWN I REALIZED THAT I SHOULD HAVE ENDORSED HIS LOG BOOK AND STUDENT LICENSE, AND I ASKED HIM FOR THESE 2 ITEMS. I ENDORSED THE LOG BOOK, THEN TOOK HIS THIRD CLASS MEDICAL. IT WAS NOT A STUDENT LICENSE--RATHER JUST A REGULAR THIRD CLASS, ON WHICH THERE IS NO PLACE FOR STUDENT ENDORSEMENTS. I TOLD HIM I WOULD CHK AND SEE WHAT HE SHOULD DO. IN TALKING WITH ANOTHER INSTR, HE SAID HE HAD THE SAME PROB AND TO JUST GO TO FSDO AND THEY WOULD EXCHANGE IT. I INSTRUCTED MY STUDENT TO DO THIS. THE PERSONS THERE REALLY GAVE HIM A HARD TIME ABOUT SOLOING W/O THE SIGN-OFF AND DID NOT EXCHANGE IT. HE DID EVENTUALLY GET IT STRAIGHTENED OUT BY GOING BACK TO THE DOCTOR. ACTIONS ON MY PART WERE BEING TOO COMPLACENT AND NOT MAKING GOOD DECISIONS. FIRST, I SHOULD HAVE SIGNED EVERYTHING BEFORE LETTING HIM SOLO. THAT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE PROB RIGHT THERE. SECOND, I SUPPOSE I COULD HAVE SIGNED THE EXISTING THIRD CLASS AND THEREBY BEEN ALL RIGHT. THIRD, NEVER ASK THE FAA FOR HELP. I BELIEVE THEY ARE ON A WITCH HUNT AND DON'T BELIEVE IN HUMAN ERROR. LAST, THE QUALITY OF MY INSTRUCTION WAS HAMPERED BY THIS STUDENT'S PUSHING TO BE SOLOED--HE WAS READY BUT I WAS NOT REMEMBERING MY RESPONSIBILITIES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.