Narrative:

After engine shutdown, I untied my cargo in rear of aircraft. 2 FAA inspectors ramp checked me. I was informed that a rope used to secure 2 cargo nets was not of an approved kind and that I was in violation of far. I assumed that a rope is acceptable under far 135.87(C)I. Load was secured during entire flight, no cargo had shifted. Company operations manual allows for use of rope. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he is extremely disturbed by this and succeeding events/behavior of FAA inspectors. The procedure used was in the operations manual stamped accepted by FAA. Inspector argued that the word 'approved' was not there, so not acceptable! 1 of the inspectors had ridden on a route check with reporter about a week prior, with the cargo tied as on this day and accepted the procedure. Reporter asked him specifically if it was ok, 'I will not take the aircraft if you don't like it.' they flew the route. After incident, reporter was ramp checked every day for 8 days. The worst part as reporter sees it is that the inspectors arrived after cargo was untied and in process of removal, but stated that 'it was insecure as tied'. How could they know that? Reporter asks. The registered letters he received and statements made by FAA are very vaguely worded. State insecure load, not covered by net, but no reference of compliance with operations manual procedure 'accepted' by FAA. Reporter believes FAA has problem with his company and he is caught in the middle. Wishes FAA would deal with management and not create havoc for the pilots. When company was recertified, the 'accepted' page referencing the cargo procedure was removed. Reporter upset because FAA is offering to drop the situation if he agrees not to ask for a hearing, but he will still have a warning letter in his file for 2 yrs. He feels they have no case and he should have no warning.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI PLT RAMP CHKED AFTER CARGO UNTIED AND BEING REMOVED. TOLD LOAD WAS INSECURE AND IMPROPERLY TIED DOWN.

Narrative: AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN, I UNTIED MY CARGO IN REAR OF ACFT. 2 FAA INSPECTORS RAMP CHKED ME. I WAS INFORMED THAT A ROPE USED TO SECURE 2 CARGO NETS WAS NOT OF AN APPROVED KIND AND THAT I WAS IN VIOLATION OF FAR. I ASSUMED THAT A ROPE IS ACCEPTABLE UNDER FAR 135.87(C)I. LOAD WAS SECURED DURING ENTIRE FLT, NO CARGO HAD SHIFTED. COMPANY OPS MANUAL ALLOWS FOR USE OF ROPE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE IS EXTREMELY DISTURBED BY THIS AND SUCCEEDING EVENTS/BEHAVIOR OF FAA INSPECTORS. THE PROC USED WAS IN THE OPS MANUAL STAMPED ACCEPTED BY FAA. INSPECTOR ARGUED THAT THE WORD 'APPROVED' WAS NOT THERE, SO NOT ACCEPTABLE! 1 OF THE INSPECTORS HAD RIDDEN ON A RTE CHK WITH RPTR ABOUT A WK PRIOR, WITH THE CARGO TIED AS ON THIS DAY AND ACCEPTED THE PROC. RPTR ASKED HIM SPECIFICALLY IF IT WAS OK, 'I WILL NOT TAKE THE ACFT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.' THEY FLEW THE RTE. AFTER INCIDENT, RPTR WAS RAMP CHKED EVERY DAY FOR 8 DAYS. THE WORST PART AS RPTR SEES IT IS THAT THE INSPECTORS ARRIVED AFTER CARGO WAS UNTIED AND IN PROCESS OF REMOVAL, BUT STATED THAT 'IT WAS INSECURE AS TIED'. HOW COULD THEY KNOW THAT? RPTR ASKS. THE REGISTERED LETTERS HE RECEIVED AND STATEMENTS MADE BY FAA ARE VERY VAGUELY WORDED. STATE INSECURE LOAD, NOT COVERED BY NET, BUT NO REF OF COMPLIANCE WITH OPS MANUAL PROC 'ACCEPTED' BY FAA. RPTR BELIEVES FAA HAS PROBLEM WITH HIS COMPANY AND HE IS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE. WISHES FAA WOULD DEAL WITH MGMNT AND NOT CREATE HAVOC FOR THE PLTS. WHEN COMPANY WAS RECERTIFIED, THE 'ACCEPTED' PAGE REFING THE CARGO PROC WAS REMOVED. RPTR UPSET BECAUSE FAA IS OFFERING TO DROP THE SITUATION IF HE AGREES NOT TO ASK FOR A HEARING, BUT HE WILL STILL HAVE A WARNING LETTER IN HIS FILE FOR 2 YRS. HE FEELS THEY HAVE NO CASE AND HE SHOULD HAVE NO WARNING.

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.