Narrative:

The FAA's management team at the flight standards office continue to stress and instill in the aviation safety inspectors that a currency flight check in lieu of currency (flight) time should be given because of budget to restraint as outlined in FAA order 4040.9D. On the above date my manager wanted me to observe the potential pilot examiner (dpe) in gliders before his (dpe) departure to the FAA in oklahoma city. At the time I was to observe the new dpe I was to also receive flight time, 5 takeoffs and lndgs with 180 degree turns as outlined in FAA order 4040.9D. On the above date and time I was acting in my official duties as aviation safety inspector and PIC. These 2 roles, observing and getting current were to be done at the same time. On the second landing, the first for me, I landed the glider's main gear on the runway but the tail wheel landed short on the sod then hit the runway and brake off! We as safety inspectors need more training and flight time. Last 90 days = 1.7 hours. Last 360 days = under 25 hours. Time in glider? All inspectors in the FAA will learn more and may have this same problem because of lack of money to maintain current. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that as a result of this incident he has been notified that he will be reexamined for pilot competency in gliders per the FAA act of 1958, section 609. He believes that FAA inspectors are not given sufficient proficiency flight time to remain current for administering flight checks. However, the FAA order covering this area has specific requirements for all inspectors in each type of aircraft to be qualified in administering flight checks which he believes he is not obtaining due to local management financial restraints.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR INADVERTENTLY LANDED A GLIDER ACFT SHORT DURING PRACTICE LNDGS CAUSING THE TAIL WHEEL TO BREAK OFF.

Narrative: THE FAA'S MGMNT TEAM AT THE FLT STANDARDS OFFICE CONTINUE TO STRESS AND INSTILL IN THE AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTORS THAT A CURRENCY FLT CHK IN LIEU OF CURRENCY (FLT) TIME SHOULD BE GIVEN BECAUSE OF BUDGET TO RESTRAINT AS OUTLINED IN FAA ORDER 4040.9D. ON THE ABOVE DATE MY MGR WANTED ME TO OBSERVE THE POTENTIAL PLT EXAMINER (DPE) IN GLIDERS BEFORE HIS (DPE) DEP TO THE FAA IN OKLAHOMA CITY. AT THE TIME I WAS TO OBSERVE THE NEW DPE I WAS TO ALSO RECEIVE FLT TIME, 5 TKOFS AND LNDGS WITH 180 DEG TURNS AS OUTLINED IN FAA ORDER 4040.9D. ON THE ABOVE DATE AND TIME I WAS ACTING IN MY OFFICIAL DUTIES AS AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR AND PIC. THESE 2 ROLES, OBSERVING AND GETTING CURRENT WERE TO BE DONE AT THE SAME TIME. ON THE SECOND LNDG, THE FIRST FOR ME, I LANDED THE GLIDER'S MAIN GEAR ON THE RWY BUT THE TAIL WHEEL LANDED SHORT ON THE SOD THEN HIT THE RWY AND BRAKE OFF! WE AS SAFETY INSPECTORS NEED MORE TRAINING AND FLT TIME. LAST 90 DAYS = 1.7 HRS. LAST 360 DAYS = UNDER 25 HRS. TIME IN GLIDER? ALL INSPECTORS IN THE FAA WILL LEARN MORE AND MAY HAVE THIS SAME PROB BECAUSE OF LACK OF MONEY TO MAINTAIN CURRENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT HE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT HE WILL BE REEXAMINED FOR PLT COMPETENCY IN GLIDERS PER THE FAA ACT OF 1958, SECTION 609. HE BELIEVES THAT FAA INSPECTORS ARE NOT GIVEN SUFFICIENT PROFICIENCY FLT TIME TO REMAIN CURRENT FOR ADMINISTERING FLT CHKS. HOWEVER, THE FAA ORDER COVERING THIS AREA HAS SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL INSPECTORS IN EACH TYPE OF ACFT TO BE QUALIFIED IN ADMINISTERING FLT CHKS WHICH HE BELIEVES HE IS NOT OBTAINING DUE TO LCL MGMNT FINANCIAL RESTRAINTS.

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.