Narrative:

On may/mon/96 about XX00 am, I received a ramp check by an FAA inspector who assumed I was carrying passenger for hire. This assumption was the result of a disgruntled FBO/person who called the FAA and reported my flight to washington national airport without knowing the facts and purpose of the flight. The facts of the flight are as follows: the aircraft owner, whom I have known and given flight instruction for a number of yrs, asked me to fly with him for training into the dc area. He was also to carry 2 members from the north eastern, nc (who are volunteers dedicated in helping the community in industrial growth) to washington for a meeting with political officials concerning our region. Hours before we were to depart edenton, nc, advised me he could not go on the flight due to another commitment. He asked me to take the 2 passenger as planned, and we would fly to dca airport at a later date for training experience. This flight was not for compensation regarding myself as the pilot, nor was compensation considered for aircraft owner. This flight was entirely flown as a donation/charity to nc, as a service to the community. I was shocked and startled by the targeted inquiry by the FAA inspector, although I realize he was just doing his job. I explained to him that the flight was not for hire or compensation and he also talked to the passenger later that day, after returning from their meeting. They informed him also that the flight was a donation and not for hire or compensation. I did not talk to the FAA inspector again after the ramp check was completed. His opinion at that time was, no violation had been made. The inspector did not attempt to talk to me later that day after he questioned the passenger, nor did he indicate to them there was any reason not to continue the flight under part 91 as planned. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he had not heard further from the FAA regarding this matter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CESSNA 310 WAS RAMP CHKED BY THE FAA FOR COMPLAINT OF CARRYING PAX FOR HIRE. SINCE THERE WAS NO COMPENSATION EXCHANGED, NO VIOLATION OF THE FARS WAS DISCLOSED.

Narrative: ON MAY/MON/96 ABOUT XX00 AM, I RECEIVED A RAMP CHK BY AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO ASSUMED I WAS CARRYING PAX FOR HIRE. THIS ASSUMPTION WAS THE RESULT OF A DISGRUNTLED FBO/PERSON WHO CALLED THE FAA AND RPTED MY FLT TO WASHINGTON NATIONAL ARPT WITHOUT KNOWING THE FACTS AND PURPOSE OF THE FLT. THE FACTS OF THE FLT ARE AS FOLLOWS: THE ACFT OWNER, WHOM I HAVE KNOWN AND GIVEN FLT INSTRUCTION FOR A NUMBER OF YRS, ASKED ME TO FLY WITH HIM FOR TRAINING INTO THE DC AREA. HE WAS ALSO TO CARRY 2 MEMBERS FROM THE NORTH EASTERN, NC (WHO ARE VOLUNTEERS DEDICATED IN HELPING THE COMMUNITY IN INDUSTRIAL GROWTH) TO WASHINGTON FOR A MEETING WITH POLITICAL OFFICIALS CONCERNING OUR REGION. HRS BEFORE WE WERE TO DEPART EDENTON, NC, ADVISED ME HE COULD NOT GO ON THE FLT DUE TO ANOTHER COMMITMENT. HE ASKED ME TO TAKE THE 2 PAX AS PLANNED, AND WE WOULD FLY TO DCA ARPT AT A LATER DATE FOR TRAINING EXPERIENCE. THIS FLT WAS NOT FOR COMPENSATION REGARDING MYSELF AS THE PLT, NOR WAS COMPENSATION CONSIDERED FOR ACFT OWNER. THIS FLT WAS ENTIRELY FLOWN AS A DONATION/CHARITY TO NC, AS A SVC TO THE COMMUNITY. I WAS SHOCKED AND STARTLED BY THE TARGETED INQUIRY BY THE FAA INSPECTOR, ALTHOUGH I REALIZE HE WAS JUST DOING HIS JOB. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THE FLT WAS NOT FOR HIRE OR COMPENSATION AND HE ALSO TALKED TO THE PAX LATER THAT DAY, AFTER RETURNING FROM THEIR MEETING. THEY INFORMED HIM ALSO THAT THE FLT WAS A DONATION AND NOT FOR HIRE OR COMPENSATION. I DID NOT TALK TO THE FAA INSPECTOR AGAIN AFTER THE RAMP CHK WAS COMPLETED. HIS OPINION AT THAT TIME WAS, NO VIOLATION HAD BEEN MADE. THE INSPECTOR DID NOT ATTEMPT TO TALK TO ME LATER THAT DAY AFTER HE QUESTIONED THE PAX, NOR DID HE INDICATE TO THEM THERE WAS ANY REASON NOT TO CONTINUE THE FLT UNDER PART 91 AS PLANNED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD NOT HEARD FURTHER FROM THE FAA REGARDING THIS MATTER.

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.