Narrative:

I am a mechanic (atx) for XXX corporation (sightseeing charter, scheduled service) operating in manhattan based at garden city, ny. A small aircraft helicopter had a flight step, which is an extruded 90 degree aluminum about 9 ft long clamped to the forward and aft cross tubes used to access the aircraft, slide down the cross tube at the aft end. I had to go in and push back up the step and retorque the screws. At the time, 2 FAA inspectors, were there doing a ramp check. I had the stc data for installation of the step. The FAA watched over me as I did this and reviewed the stc. They saw the part where it said the screws required 50 to 70 inch-pounds. I had only basic tools. I had to get a torque wrench sent in from garden city to manhattan 34TH street heliport. The only available helicopter was a small aircraft 2, which was running on the ramp. The vice president of operations, he is also a pilot, was doing a training mission in this aircraft. I went over to him in the running aircraft and said I need to get back to garden city to get a torque wrench. He said he can't because he was training. I said I have to because if I don't the small aircraft 1 would be grounded. He said he would talk to the FAA inspectors about just if we could ferry the aircraft back to base. He did so and came back and told me it was ok, the FAA inspectors gave us the go ahead. In reality, they didn't say that. He misunderstood. I was getting nervous. The step was secure and operations wanted the aircraft home. So I signed it off in the logbook in accordance with the stc. At this point, the FAA was gone from the premises, and we flew back. About 2 hours later, the FAA arrived at garden city. They wanted to talk to me. They wanted to know how I torqued and leveled the step. I told them the truth, that I just tightened the 4 phillips head screws with a screw driver and leveled the step by eye. They went on and on about how I falsified documents. I told them, well I didn't think it was a safety of flight item and I would have checked torque and leveling at base. Since I told them the truth, they said they would drop the subject, but the next day, I heard that they changed their minds, so I am expecting some kind of enforcement action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAA INSPECTOR FOUND AN ATX MECH HAD FALSIFIED THE ACFT MAINT RECORD.

Narrative: I AM A MECH (ATX) FOR XXX CORPORATION (SIGHTSEEING CHARTER, SCHEDULED SVC) OPERATING IN MANHATTAN BASED AT GARDEN CITY, NY. A SMA HELI HAD A FLT STEP, WHICH IS AN EXTRUDED 90 DEG ALUMINUM ABOUT 9 FT LONG CLAMPED TO THE FORWARD AND AFT CROSS TUBES USED TO ACCESS THE ACFT, SLIDE DOWN THE CROSS TUBE AT THE AFT END. I HAD TO GO IN AND PUSH BACK UP THE STEP AND RETORQUE THE SCREWS. AT THE TIME, 2 FAA INSPECTORS, WERE THERE DOING A RAMP CHK. I HAD THE STC DATA FOR INSTALLATION OF THE STEP. THE FAA WATCHED OVER ME AS I DID THIS AND REVIEWED THE STC. THEY SAW THE PART WHERE IT SAID THE SCREWS REQUIRED 50 TO 70 INCH-LBS. I HAD ONLY BASIC TOOLS. I HAD TO GET A TORQUE WRENCH SENT IN FROM GARDEN CITY TO MANHATTAN 34TH STREET HELIPORT. THE ONLY AVAILABLE HELI WAS A SMA 2, WHICH WAS RUNNING ON THE RAMP. THE VICE PRESIDENT OF OPS, HE IS ALSO A PLT, WAS DOING A TRAINING MISSION IN THIS ACFT. I WENT OVER TO HIM IN THE RUNNING ACFT AND SAID I NEED TO GET BACK TO GARDEN CITY TO GET A TORQUE WRENCH. HE SAID HE CAN'T BECAUSE HE WAS TRAINING. I SAID I HAVE TO BECAUSE IF I DON'T THE SMA 1 WOULD BE GNDED. HE SAID HE WOULD TALK TO THE FAA INSPECTORS ABOUT JUST IF WE COULD FERRY THE ACFT BACK TO BASE. HE DID SO AND CAME BACK AND TOLD ME IT WAS OK, THE FAA INSPECTORS GAVE US THE GO AHEAD. IN REALITY, THEY DIDN'T SAY THAT. HE MISUNDERSTOOD. I WAS GETTING NERVOUS. THE STEP WAS SECURE AND OPS WANTED THE ACFT HOME. SO I SIGNED IT OFF IN THE LOGBOOK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STC. AT THIS POINT, THE FAA WAS GONE FROM THE PREMISES, AND WE FLEW BACK. ABOUT 2 HRS LATER, THE FAA ARRIVED AT GARDEN CITY. THEY WANTED TO TALK TO ME. THEY WANTED TO KNOW HOW I TORQUED AND LEVELED THE STEP. I TOLD THEM THE TRUTH, THAT I JUST TIGHTENED THE 4 PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWS WITH A SCREW DRIVER AND LEVELED THE STEP BY EYE. THEY WENT ON AND ON ABOUT HOW I FALSIFIED DOCUMENTS. I TOLD THEM, WELL I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS A SAFETY OF FLT ITEM AND I WOULD HAVE CHKED TORQUE AND LEVELING AT BASE. SINCE I TOLD THEM THE TRUTH, THEY SAID THEY WOULD DROP THE SUBJECT, BUT THE NEXT DAY, I HEARD THAT THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS, SO I AM EXPECTING SOME KIND OF ENFORCEMENT ACTION.

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.