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GA pilot flew an aircraft with a crack/scratch in the right navigation light lens. Then received an investigation letter after the lens was replaced.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 187061 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199107 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mht |
| State Reference | NH |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 187061 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On jul/wed/91 in the morning, I was loading my cargo in my small transport. As I finished my weight and balance, an FAA inspector approached me and told me he noticed a crack in my right wing position light lens. That is all he said to me and I perceived to be his communication to be just an advisory. Even though in a matter of a few mins I would miss my departure time, I walked over and looked at the lens. It seemed no problem to me, a 1/2 inch crack or scratch in the right lens which was still held on tight by 3 screws (the crack/scratch was flush together), nothing else was said by the inspector and I departed the ramp. 3 days later the same inspector returned to the ramp in the evening as I finished by flying day, and immediately walked over to my right wing tip. Noticing that the navigation lens had been changed, he asked to see my flight log. He then asked to make photocopies. I have received a letter of investigation for departing an airplane with a known mechanical irregularity for the crack which looked like a scratch.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA PLT FLEW AN ACFT WITH A CRACK/SCRATCH IN THE R NAV LIGHT LENS. THEN RECEIVED AN INVESTIGATION LETTER AFTER THE LENS WAS REPLACED.
Narrative: ON JUL/WED/91 IN THE MORNING, I WAS LOADING MY CARGO IN MY SMT. AS I FINISHED MY WT AND BAL, AN FAA INSPECTOR APCHED ME AND TOLD ME HE NOTICED A CRACK IN MY R WING POS LIGHT LENS. THAT IS ALL HE SAID TO ME AND I PERCEIVED TO BE HIS COM TO BE JUST AN ADVISORY. EVEN THOUGH IN A MATTER OF A FEW MINS I WOULD MISS MY DEP TIME, I WALKED OVER AND LOOKED AT THE LENS. IT SEEMED NO PROBLEM TO ME, A 1/2 INCH CRACK OR SCRATCH IN THE R LENS WHICH WAS STILL HELD ON TIGHT BY 3 SCREWS (THE CRACK/SCRATCH WAS FLUSH TOGETHER), NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID BY THE INSPECTOR AND I DEPARTED THE RAMP. 3 DAYS LATER THE SAME INSPECTOR RETURNED TO THE RAMP IN THE EVENING AS I FINISHED BY FLYING DAY, AND IMMEDIATELY WALKED OVER TO MY R WING TIP. NOTICING THAT THE NAV LENS HAD BEEN CHANGED, HE ASKED TO SEE MY FLT LOG. HE THEN ASKED TO MAKE PHOTOCOPIES. I HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER OF INVESTIGATION FOR DEPARTING AN AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN MECHANICAL IRREGULARITY FOR THE CRACK WHICH LOOKED LIKE A SCRATCH.
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.