Narrative:

Upon arrival at hou, my aircraft and crew were the subject of an FAA ramp check conducted by 8 inspectors from the houston FSDO. I was immediately told that they received an anonymous call that the aircraft I was operating took off from sdm overweight. At the outset, I informed the inspectors that I performed the weight and balance computations and that by my calculations, the aircraft was operated within weight and balance limitations. After permitting an inspection of my aircraft, I was asked to meet with the houston inspectors in a conference room provided by the FBO. This meeting lasted approximately 2 hours. During the meeting, I was asked to prepare a weight and balance. When I listed my fuel at 4400 pounds, I was told by the inspectors that my fuel load was full. I explained that this was not the case. In spite of this fact, I was asked to prepare a new weight and balance based on a full fuel load of 5500 pounds. This computation showed an overweight condition. Both handwritten calculations were then confiscated along with photocopies of company weight and balance paperwork, maintenance sheets and selected portions of our company's operations specifications. I was then told that the information would be forwarded to the bna FSDO and appropriate action would be taken. At the close of the ramp check, I was informed the real reason for the check was that a customs inspector in sdm misread the registration on my aircraft and proceeded with an inquiry based on the assumption that we were involved in a drug smuggling incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT FLC SUBJECTED TO FAA RAMP CHK AND 2 HRS OF WT AND BAL REVIEW ON PRETEXT OF THEIR ACFT PURPORTEDLY EXECUTING AN OVERWT TKOF FROM SDM, BROWN FIELD, CA.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT HOU, MY ACFT AND CREW WERE THE SUBJECT OF AN FAA RAMP CHK CONDUCTED BY 8 INSPECTORS FROM THE HOUSTON FSDO. I WAS IMMEDIATELY TOLD THAT THEY RECEIVED AN ANONYMOUS CALL THAT THE ACFT I WAS OPERATING TOOK OFF FROM SDM OVERWT. AT THE OUTSET, I INFORMED THE INSPECTORS THAT I PERFORMED THE WT AND BAL COMPUTATIONS AND THAT BY MY CALCULATIONS, THE ACFT WAS OPERATED WITHIN WT AND BAL LIMITATIONS. AFTER PERMITTING AN INSPECTION OF MY ACFT, I WAS ASKED TO MEET WITH THE HOUSTON INSPECTORS IN A CONFERENCE ROOM PROVIDED BY THE FBO. THIS MEETING LASTED APPROX 2 HRS. DURING THE MEETING, I WAS ASKED TO PREPARE A WT AND BAL. WHEN I LISTED MY FUEL AT 4400 POUNDS, I WAS TOLD BY THE INSPECTORS THAT MY FUEL LOAD WAS FULL. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. IN SPITE OF THIS FACT, I WAS ASKED TO PREPARE A NEW WT AND BAL BASED ON A FULL FUEL LOAD OF 5500 POUNDS. THIS COMPUTATION SHOWED AN OVERWT CONDITION. BOTH HANDWRITTEN CALCULATIONS WERE THEN CONFISCATED ALONG WITH PHOTOCOPIES OF COMPANY WT AND BAL PAPERWORK, MAINT SHEETS AND SELECTED PORTIONS OF OUR COMPANY'S OPS SPECS. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THE INFO WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE BNA FSDO AND APPROPRIATE ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN. AT THE CLOSE OF THE RAMP CHK, I WAS INFORMED THE REAL REASON FOR THE CHK WAS THAT A CUSTOMS INSPECTOR IN SDM MISREAD THE REGISTRATION ON MY ACFT AND PROCEEDED WITH AN INQUIRY BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WERE INVOLVED IN A DRUG SMUGGLING INCIDENT.

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.