Narrative:

Technology is great, but when computers break down and the pressure for on time performance is still there, most aviators respond with intelligent, experienced decisions. It is a shame when the FAA critiques my performance and jeopardizes my license from another airplane, when they do not know my capabilities. I am presently under investigation for failure of the captain to xchk takeoff data. I received the data via radio versus ACARS, met all company procedures and checklists, yet an inspector in another aircraft claims I didn't. He wasn't there in my aircraft. It is another measure which will lead to less innovation, less xchking and in the end a poorer transportation system as a result of a suppression of the PIC decision making. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter apologized for the lack of information in his report. He wrote it under pressure from friends and legal counsel. He is so upset because an FAA inspector was in another aircraft, a different make and model, giving a check ride to another flight crew. Inspector from this rather disadvantageous position determined that reporter flight crew did not follow proper procedure after receiving their load closeout. It was received by radio so heard by inspector. Reporter stated crew had been holding long enough to complete checklists and prebrief on weights and settings. Had determined what settings were to be used for given load and set up aircraft accordingly. Closeout weight was 1000 pounds under computed weights. Captain did quick brief, crew concurred, he said 'let's go.' several weeks later he received a phone call from chief pilot asking what had happened as a call was received from FAA. That is the first reporter knew of any problem. Has since received a 10 day letter. He is to have a face to face meeting with inspector in a few weeks. His efforts were directed toward on time performance but with no short cuts to procedures or safety. They had already decided on a maximum power takeoff so no changes were needed.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC PRESET TKOF SETTINGS. RECEIVED LOAD CLOSEOUT, DEPARTED. SEVERAL WKS LATER NOTIFIED THAT ACI IN ANOTHER ACFT DETERMINED CREW DID NOT FOLLOW PROPER TKOF PROC.

Narrative: TECHNOLOGY IS GREAT, BUT WHEN COMPUTERS BREAK DOWN AND THE PRESSURE FOR ON TIME PERFORMANCE IS STILL THERE, MOST AVIATORS RESPOND WITH INTELLIGENT, EXPERIENCED DECISIONS. IT IS A SHAME WHEN THE FAA CRITIQUES MY PERFORMANCE AND JEOPARDIZES MY LICENSE FROM ANOTHER AIRPLANE, WHEN THEY DO NOT KNOW MY CAPABILITIES. I AM PRESENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR FAILURE OF THE CAPT TO XCHK TKOF DATA. I RECEIVED THE DATA VIA RADIO VERSUS ACARS, MET ALL COMPANY PROCS AND CHKLISTS, YET AN INSPECTOR IN ANOTHER ACFT CLAIMS I DIDN'T. HE WASN'T THERE IN MY ACFT. IT IS ANOTHER MEASURE WHICH WILL LEAD TO LESS INNOVATION, LESS XCHKING AND IN THE END A POORER TRANSPORTATION SYS AS A RESULT OF A SUPPRESSION OF THE PIC DECISION MAKING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR APOLOGIZED FOR THE LACK OF INFO IN HIS RPT. HE WROTE IT UNDER PRESSURE FROM FRIENDS AND LEGAL COUNSEL. HE IS SO UPSET BECAUSE AN FAA INSPECTOR WAS IN ANOTHER ACFT, A DIFFERENT MAKE AND MODEL, GIVING A CHK RIDE TO ANOTHER FLC. INSPECTOR FROM THIS RATHER DISADVANTAGEOUS POS DETERMINED THAT RPTR FLC DID NOT FOLLOW PROPER PROC AFTER RECEIVING THEIR LOAD CLOSEOUT. IT WAS RECEIVED BY RADIO SO HEARD BY INSPECTOR. RPTR STATED CREW HAD BEEN HOLDING LONG ENOUGH TO COMPLETE CHKLISTS AND PREBRIEF ON WTS AND SETTINGS. HAD DETERMINED WHAT SETTINGS WERE TO BE USED FOR GIVEN LOAD AND SET UP ACFT ACCORDINGLY. CLOSEOUT WT WAS 1000 POUNDS UNDER COMPUTED WTS. CAPT DID QUICK BRIEF, CREW CONCURRED, HE SAID 'LET'S GO.' SEVERAL WKS LATER HE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM CHIEF PLT ASKING WHAT HAD HAPPENED AS A CALL WAS RECEIVED FROM FAA. THAT IS THE FIRST RPTR KNEW OF ANY PROBLEM. HAS SINCE RECEIVED A 10 DAY LETTER. HE IS TO HAVE A FACE TO FACE MEETING WITH INSPECTOR IN A FEW WKS. HIS EFFORTS WERE DIRECTED TOWARD ON TIME PERFORMANCE BUT WITH NO SHORT CUTS TO PROCS OR SAFETY. THEY HAD ALREADY DECIDED ON A MAX PWR TKOF SO NO CHANGES WERE NEEDED.

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.