Pilot of small transport aircraft tried to taxi with one wing still tied.

Attributes
ACN	212123
Time
Date	199206
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : teb
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	212123
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was assisted in my preflight by another pilot, who followed me around during my preflight to untie all the tiedown ropes. When I attempted to begin my taxi, it became apparent that the left wing tiedown was still attached to the airplane. An FAA inspector came rushing over, flashing his badge, and asked to see my license and medical, the aircraft's papers etc. He indicated that I would be receiving a letter from the FAA citing me for unsafe operation of the aircraft! At no time was there any danger to me or my passenger, and at no time was safety compromised. I was aware at once what had occurred, and was in the process of shutting down the engines when the inspector came running over. I will never again take another pilot's word for the fact that the aircraft tiedown ropes are all released! I will decline any offered assistance by another pilot in the preflight phase unless I can check the items handled by that pilot myself, as I should have in this case.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT ACFT TRIED TO TAXI WITH ONE WING STILL TIED.

Narrative: I WAS ASSISTED IN MY PREFLT BY ANOTHER PLT, WHO FOLLOWED ME AROUND DURING MY PREFLT TO UNTIE ALL THE TIEDOWN ROPES. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO BEGIN MY TAXI, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE L WING TIEDOWN WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE AIRPLANE. AN FAA INSPECTOR CAME RUSHING OVER, FLASHING HIS BADGE, AND ASKED TO SEE MY LICENSE AND MEDICAL, THE ACFT'S PAPERS ETC. HE INDICATED THAT I WOULD BE RECEIVING A LETTER FROM THE FAA CITING ME FOR UNSAFE OP OF THE ACFT! AT NO TIME WAS THERE ANY DANGER TO ME OR MY PAX, AND AT NO TIME WAS SAFETY COMPROMISED. I WAS AWARE AT ONCE WHAT HAD OCCURRED, AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGS WHEN THE INSPECTOR CAME RUNNING OVER. I WILL NEVER AGAIN TAKE ANOTHER PLT'S WORD FOR THE FACT THAT THE ACFT TIEDOWN ROPES ARE ALL RELEASED! I WILL DECLINE ANY OFFERED ASSISTANCE BY ANOTHER PLT IN THE PREFLT PHASE UNLESS I CAN CHK THE ITEMS HANDLED BY THAT PLT MYSELF, AS I SHOULD HAVE IN THIS CASE.

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.