Narrative:

On an early morning departure, an FAA inspector met us at the aircraft door. During preflight he requested the flight engineer turn on the emergency exit lights. Not a normal preflight activity for our operation as it depletes the batteries. The inspector reported to the flight engineer who in turn reported to me, as captain, that the lights in the rear of the aircraft were dim. I returned to the aircraft and after turning the emergency lights on, requested the inspector point out the area involved. All lights were functioning properly, in my estimation and he agreed. We departed 6 mins late and the rest of the flight was routine. At the completion of the flight, I asked the inspector for any comments or suggestions, as is my habit. He stated 'none' other than the initial emergency exit light problem, indicating to me that he felt we had operated with a malfunctioning system. I operate an aircraft with the attitude 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' however, the next encounter of this kind will result in a logbook entry requiring a thorough maintenance inspection and prolonged departure delay.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAA INSPECTOR COMMENTS TO THE SO THAT THE EXIT LIGHTING IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT IS DIM AND LATER AGREES WITH THE CAPT THAT THEY ARE SATISFACTORY. HOWEVER, THE ONLY ITEM HE MENTIONED ON THE DEBRIEFING AFTER THE FLT WAS THE INITIAL PROB WITH THE EMER LIGHTS.

Narrative: ON AN EARLY MORNING DEP, AN FAA INSPECTOR MET US AT THE ACFT DOOR. DURING PREFLT HE REQUESTED THE FE TURN ON THE EMER EXIT LIGHTS. NOT A NORMAL PREFLT ACTIVITY FOR OUR OP AS IT DEPLETES THE BATTERIES. THE INSPECTOR RPTED TO THE FE WHO IN TURN RPTED TO ME, AS CAPT, THAT THE LIGHTS IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT WERE DIM. I RETURNED TO THE ACFT AND AFTER TURNING THE EMER LIGHTS ON, REQUESTED THE INSPECTOR POINT OUT THE AREA INVOLVED. ALL LIGHTS WERE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, IN MY ESTIMATION AND HE AGREED. WE DEPARTED 6 MINS LATE AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS ROUTINE. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE FLT, I ASKED THE INSPECTOR FOR ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS, AS IS MY HABIT. HE STATED 'NONE' OTHER THAN THE INITIAL EMER EXIT LIGHT PROB, INDICATING TO ME THAT HE FELT WE HAD OPERATED WITH A MALFUNCTIONING SYS. I OPERATE AN ACFT WITH THE ATTITUDE 'IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.' HOWEVER, THE NEXT ENCOUNTER OF THIS KIND WILL RESULT IN A LOGBOOK ENTRY REQUIRING A THOROUGH MAINT INSPECTION AND PROLONGED DEP DELAY.

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.