An air carrier captain reports that his medical certificate was initially incorrectly dated then, wh...

Attributes
ACN	373764
Time
Date	199706
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	373764
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I underwent a physical examination for my FAA first class medical certificate at the office of my AME on apr/xa/97. When the receptionist typed the form, she initially typed the date as apr/xa/96. I pointed that out and she took it back and struck over the date and corrected it to apr/xa/97 and initialed the correction. I asked if she was sure that was ok and she said yes. About 1 month later during a ramp inspection at mob, an FAA inspector (#1) noted the correction, said he would take note of it for oklahoma city and for the doctor's information. About 1 month later, another inspector (#2) again repeated basically the same during a ramp inspection. I then called the atlanta regional medical office and reported the problem, and was told that it would be reported to oklahoma city for re-issue of my certificate. Then on jun/xb/97, an FAA air carrier inspector (#3) came on board my flight bound for dfw for an inspection and en route check. He stated that my medical was invalid and terminated the check. I went to the chief pilot's office and reported the problem. The assistant chief pilot called the doctor's office and requested a facsimile of the physical report. The report showed the examination date on both pages as apr/xa/97. He talked to a local FAA inspector for my air carrier, aci #4, and they agreed my medical was valid and I should fly the trip. Aci #3 would not accept that as validation. When I arrived at dfw, 2 inspectors met me and aci #5 questioned me, took notes, and left. I again called the chief pilot's office and was told that I should fly the trip back to atlanta. The following day, I went to the doctor's office and they re-issued my certificate, apologized, and said that normally the certificate would be re-issued by the oklahoma city certification branch.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT RPTS THAT HIS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS INITIALLY INCORRECTLY DATED THEN, WHEN HE NOTED THE ERROR, THE DOCTOR'S RECEPTIONIST SIMPLY TYPED THE CORRECT DATE OVER THE INCORRECT DATE. THIS LED TO A SERIES OF INTERESTING, BUT STRESSFUL ENCOUNTERS WITH VARIOUS FAA INSPECTORS.

Narrative: I UNDERWENT A PHYSICAL EXAM FOR MY FAA FIRST CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AT THE OFFICE OF MY AME ON APR/XA/97. WHEN THE RECEPTIONIST TYPED THE FORM, SHE INITIALLY TYPED THE DATE AS APR/XA/96. I POINTED THAT OUT AND SHE TOOK IT BACK AND STRUCK OVER THE DATE AND CORRECTED IT TO APR/XA/97 AND INITIALED THE CORRECTION. I ASKED IF SHE WAS SURE THAT WAS OK AND SHE SAID YES. ABOUT 1 MONTH LATER DURING A RAMP INSPECTION AT MOB, AN FAA INSPECTOR (#1) NOTED THE CORRECTION, SAID HE WOULD TAKE NOTE OF IT FOR OKLAHOMA CITY AND FOR THE DOCTOR'S INFO. ABOUT 1 MONTH LATER, ANOTHER INSPECTOR (#2) AGAIN REPEATED BASICALLY THE SAME DURING A RAMP INSPECTION. I THEN CALLED THE ATLANTA REGIONAL MEDICAL OFFICE AND RPTED THE PROB, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE RPTED TO OKLAHOMA CITY FOR RE-ISSUE OF MY CERTIFICATE. THEN ON JUN/XB/97, AN FAA ACR INSPECTOR (#3) CAME ON BOARD MY FLT BOUND FOR DFW FOR AN INSPECTION AND ENRTE CHK. HE STATED THAT MY MEDICAL WAS INVALID AND TERMINATED THE CHK. I WENT TO THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE AND RPTED THE PROB. THE ASSISTANT CHIEF PLT CALLED THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND REQUESTED A FAX OF THE PHYSICAL RPT. THE RPT SHOWED THE EXAM DATE ON BOTH PAGES AS APR/XA/97. HE TALKED TO A LCL FAA INSPECTOR FOR MY ACR, ACI #4, AND THEY AGREED MY MEDICAL WAS VALID AND I SHOULD FLY THE TRIP. ACI #3 WOULD NOT ACCEPT THAT AS VALIDATION. WHEN I ARRIVED AT DFW, 2 INSPECTORS MET ME AND ACI #5 QUESTIONED ME, TOOK NOTES, AND LEFT. I AGAIN CALLED THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD FLY THE TRIP BACK TO ATLANTA. THE FOLLOWING DAY, I WENT TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND THEY RE-ISSUED MY CERTIFICATE, APOLOGIZED, AND SAID THAT NORMALLY THE CERTIFICATE WOULD BE RE-ISSUED BY THE OKLAHOMA CITY CERTIFICATION BRANCH.

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.

An air carrier captain reports that his medical certificate was initially incorrectly dated then, when he noted the error, the doctor's receptionist simply typed the correct date over the incorrect date. This led to a series of interesting, but stressful encounters with various FAA inspectors.