Narrative:

FAA inspector from renton, wa got on aircraft and told us he would be performing a cabin inspection from mco-pns. This made me a little curious as our poi is out of louisville, mo. During taxi we encountered a thunderstorm with heavy rain and lightning and brought the aircraft to a stop. Since the flight attendant was already seated and had made her predep announcement, I made a PA telling the passenger about our WX and to please remain seated with their seat belts fastened, tray table in the upright and locked position, and all carry on items stowed beneath the seat in front of you. I also advised them that the reason for this announcement was for their safety as we could move the aircraft at anytime for takeoff. 30 mins later I made the same announcement as we have had passenger get up during long delays on the ground. We then departed for pns. After arrival in pns the inspector told me that he believed our announcements were a violation of 'sterile cockpit' I stated our company policy and flight standards manual and he stated he would look into it and would 'discuss' it with our poi. (If this is the FAA's attitude toward safety it needs to be reviewed, this would discourage anyone from keeping the passenger informed). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he has heard nothing from the inspector. Flight crew feel the inspector was just looking for a ride home but had to make himself feel justified by finding something wrong. He was quite rude to the cabin attendant regarding her safety presentation and later indicated to her that he could not even understand the first officer who had a slight accent. When the inspector complained to reporter, reporter said he did not understand why a renton, wa inspector was aboard instead of the local inspector. Reporter indicated that he would speak with the local inspector to check the validity of the complaint. No more conversation ensued.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB 120 HAS GND HOLD DUE TO HVY RAIN AND TSTM. FLC MAKES SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT BUT ACI TAKES EXCEPTION REGARDING STERILE COCKPIT RULE.

Narrative: FAA INSPECTOR FROM RENTON, WA GOT ON ACFT AND TOLD US HE WOULD BE PERFORMING A CABIN INSPECTION FROM MCO-PNS. THIS MADE ME A LITTLE CURIOUS AS OUR POI IS OUT OF LOUISVILLE, MO. DURING TAXI WE ENCOUNTERED A TSTM WITH HVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING AND BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP. SINCE THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS ALREADY SEATED AND HAD MADE HER PREDEP ANNOUNCEMENT, I MADE A PA TELLING THE PAX ABOUT OUR WX AND TO PLEASE REMAIN SEATED WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS FASTENED, TRAY TABLE IN THE UPRIGHT AND LOCKED POS, AND ALL CARRY ON ITEMS STOWED BENEATH THE SEAT IN FRONT OF YOU. I ALSO ADVISED THEM THAT THE REASON FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WAS FOR THEIR SAFETY AS WE COULD MOVE THE ACFT AT ANYTIME FOR TKOF. 30 MINS LATER I MADE THE SAME ANNOUNCEMENT AS WE HAVE HAD PAX GET UP DURING LONG DELAYS ON THE GND. WE THEN DEPARTED FOR PNS. AFTER ARR IN PNS THE INSPECTOR TOLD ME THAT HE BELIEVED OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE A VIOLATION OF 'STERILE COCKPIT' I STATED OUR COMPANY POLICY AND FLT STANDARDS MANUAL AND HE STATED HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND WOULD 'DISCUSS' IT WITH OUR POI. (IF THIS IS THE FAA'S ATTITUDE TOWARD SAFETY IT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED, THIS WOULD DISCOURAGE ANYONE FROM KEEPING THE PAX INFORMED). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE INSPECTOR. FLC FEEL THE INSPECTOR WAS JUST LOOKING FOR A RIDE HOME BUT HAD TO MAKE HIMSELF FEEL JUSTIFIED BY FINDING SOMETHING WRONG. HE WAS QUITE RUDE TO THE CABIN ATTENDANT REGARDING HER SAFETY PRESENTATION AND LATER INDICATED TO HER THAT HE COULD NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE FO WHO HAD A SLIGHT ACCENT. WHEN THE INSPECTOR COMPLAINED TO RPTR, RPTR SAID HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A RENTON, WA INSPECTOR WAS ABOARD INSTEAD OF THE LCL INSPECTOR. RPTR INDICATED THAT HE WOULD SPEAK WITH THE LCL INSPECTOR TO CHK THE VALIDITY OF THE COMPLAINT. NO MORE CONVERSATION ENSUED.

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.