Narrative:

My student and I went on an instrument training flight. We flew a small aircraft, which the flight school purchased 1 week ago. We had intended to remain VFR, due to FSS information, but when we became airborne, we found the ceiling lower than reported, so we filed IFR and completed the training flight by doing 2 ILS approachs at aln. During the ILS approach, the G/south flap was showing and the G/south did not work, so we completed the approach as a localizer approach. When we returned to the airport after the flight, 2 FAA inspectors met us. They informed me that I had flown an unairworthy airplane because it had an open squawk on it when I took off. Apparently the person who flew before me had squawked an alternator light, an intermittent #2 radio, and had noted that the vacuum system should be checked. The FAA inspector, mr X, had told me earlier that I, as the pilot, could defer the squawks. Now he told me that only a mechanic could defer the squawk on the alternator. I told him that I had checked all 3 squawks and found no problem with them. He said I should have had a mechanic check the alternator light, even though it gave me no problem. The second FAA inspector, mr Y, said 'ah ha! You got one!' to mr X. Mr X had definitely told me earlier that I could defer a squawk.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER THE FACT GA SMA INSTRUCTOR PLT IS ADVISED HE HAD OPERATED IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AVIATION REG BECAUSE SOME MAINTENANCE ITEMS HAD NOT BEEN SIGNED OFF BY A MECHANIC.

Narrative: MY STUDENT AND I WENT ON AN INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLT. WE FLEW A SMA, WHICH THE FLT SCHOOL PURCHASED 1 WK AGO. WE HAD INTENDED TO REMAIN VFR, DUE TO FSS INFO, BUT WHEN WE BECAME AIRBORNE, WE FOUND THE CEILING LOWER THAN RPTED, SO WE FILED IFR AND COMPLETED THE TRNING FLT BY DOING 2 ILS APCHS AT ALN. DURING THE ILS APCH, THE G/S FLAP WAS SHOWING AND THE G/S DID NOT WORK, SO WE COMPLETED THE APCH AS A LOC APCH. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE ARPT AFTER THE FLT, 2 FAA INSPECTORS MET US. THEY INFORMED ME THAT I HAD FLOWN AN UNAIRWORTHY AIRPLANE BECAUSE IT HAD AN OPEN SQUAWK ON IT WHEN I TOOK OFF. APPARENTLY THE PERSON WHO FLEW BEFORE ME HAD SQUAWKED AN ALTERNATOR LIGHT, AN INTERMITTENT #2 RADIO, AND HAD NOTED THAT THE VACUUM SYS SHOULD BE CHKED. THE FAA INSPECTOR, MR X, HAD TOLD ME EARLIER THAT I, AS THE PLT, COULD DEFER THE SQUAWKS. NOW HE TOLD ME THAT ONLY A MECH COULD DEFER THE SQUAWK ON THE ALTERNATOR. I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD CHKED ALL 3 SQUAWKS AND FOUND NO PROB WITH THEM. HE SAID I SHOULD HAVE HAD A MECH CHK THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT, EVEN THOUGH IT GAVE ME NO PROB. THE SEC FAA INSPECTOR, MR Y, SAID 'AH HA! YOU GOT ONE!' TO MR X. MR X HAD DEFINITELY TOLD ME EARLIER THAT I COULD DEFER A SQUAWK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.