A pilot reports having been accused of acting in violation of part 135 rules while riding in the right seat of a single pilot EMS flight. This reporter was handling radio communication with ATC, but was not authority/authorized as a pilot for this operation.

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Attributes
ACN	341790
Time
Date	199606
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : teb
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : teb tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	King Air 100 A/B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1600
ASRS Report	341790
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was an observer on a company 135 lifeguard flight. I was sitting in the right seat in the single pilot aircraft, a BE10. Approaching teb, the radios were very busy so I helped the captain and handled the radio calls into teb. Upon arrival, we were ramp checked by local FSDO. I was told that I may have been 'manipulating flight controls.' I'm not sure about that as the safety of the flight was never in question and I never touched flight controls. I just thought it made sense to help get a lifeguard flight on the ground as soon as possible. I'm not sure the type of data NASA collects and what information they forward to the FAA. It just seems that we should be concerned about real safety issues, not this type of situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT RPTS HAVING BEEN ACCUSED OF ACTING IN VIOLATION OF PART 135 RULES WHILE RIDING IN THE R SEAT OF A SINGLE PLT EMS FLT. THIS RPTR WAS HANDLING RADIO COM WITH ATC, BUT WAS NOT AUTH AS A PLT FOR THIS OP.

Narrative: I WAS AN OBSERVER ON A COMPANY 135 LIFEGUARD FLT. I WAS SITTING IN THE R SEAT IN THE SINGLE PLT ACFT, A BE10. APCHING TEB, THE RADIOS WERE VERY BUSY SO I HELPED THE CAPT AND HANDLED THE RADIO CALLS INTO TEB. UPON ARR, WE WERE RAMP CHKED BY LCL FSDO. I WAS TOLD THAT I MAY HAVE BEEN 'MANIPULATING FLT CTLS.' I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT AS THE SAFETY OF THE FLT WAS NEVER IN QUESTION AND I NEVER TOUCHED FLT CTLS. I JUST THOUGHT IT MADE SENSE TO HELP GET A LIFEGUARD FLT ON THE GND ASAP. I'M NOT SURE THE TYPE OF DATA NASA COLLECTS AND WHAT INFO THEY FORWARD TO THE FAA. IT JUST SEEMS THAT WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT REAL SAFETY ISSUES, NOT THIS TYPE OF SIT.

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.