Narrative:

I am a check airman conducting IOE with a new captain candidate. One candidate was being observed by an FAA inspector on the leg up from ict to mci. At mci, on a 20 min turn, another candidate was to be observed by the same FAA inspector on the return leg to ict. On the way up to mci on a warm day, the vapor cycle machine was discovered to be inoperative. This is known to be a rather fragile, poorly-designed feature of the beech 1900D. In kansas city on the short turn, I asked a mechanic to go out and check the pressure switch on the vapor cycle system, which is in the nose avionics bay. This action sometimes solves the problem. The mechanic did as he was asked, and the flight was boarded. At this time, the FAA inspector asked me what the status was. I replied that the mechanic had reset the switch and we would have to see if that solution worked. (The engines have to be running for the vapor cycle system to operate.) the inspector then said, 'shouldn't you write that up?' at this point, I got out of my seat and took the logbook inside and called maintenance control to defer the vcm system, with the passenger sitting on the hot aircraft all the while. When I got back into the cockpit, the inspector stated that 'I didn't mean that you had to defer the item.' I replied that that was the only way to continue to operate once it was written up. The next day, the same inspector told me that she was considering a possible letter of investigation of this incident. I believe that I am a very conscientious person who tries their best to make every flight safe and legal. While I understand the wording of far 121.563, I truly believed that I was complying with its intent. As far as future corrective action, I realize that the item should be written up and, in the future, will be no matter how insignificant. Also, I believe that trying to stay on schedule while conducting captain IOE is very hard to do, since I, as the real captain, must check WX and sign the dispatch release as always, plus perform the first officer duties.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAA INSPECTOR CAUSED FLT DELAY FOR THE WRITE-UP AND PROPER DISPOSITION OF A FAULTY COOLING MACHINE. CAPT OBTAINED MECH'S SIGNATURE FOR DEFERRAL OF THE ITEM AFTER WRITING UP EQUIP DISCREPANCY IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK. INSPECTOR THREATENED CAPT WITH A POSSIBLE LETTER OF INVESTIGATION OF THE MATTER.

Narrative: I AM A CHK AIRMAN CONDUCTING IOE WITH A NEW CAPT CANDIDATE. ONE CANDIDATE WAS BEING OBSERVED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR ON THE LEG UP FROM ICT TO MCI. AT MCI, ON A 20 MIN TURN, ANOTHER CANDIDATE WAS TO BE OBSERVED BY THE SAME FAA INSPECTOR ON THE RETURN LEG TO ICT. ON THE WAY UP TO MCI ON A WARM DAY, THE VAPOR CYCLE MACHINE WAS DISCOVERED TO BE INOP. THIS IS KNOWN TO BE A RATHER FRAGILE, POORLY-DESIGNED FEATURE OF THE BEECH 1900D. IN KANSAS CITY ON THE SHORT TURN, I ASKED A MECH TO GO OUT AND CHK THE PRESSURE SWITCH ON THE VAPOR CYCLE SYS, WHICH IS IN THE NOSE AVIONICS BAY. THIS ACTION SOMETIMES SOLVES THE PROB. THE MECH DID AS HE WAS ASKED, AND THE FLT WAS BOARDED. AT THIS TIME, THE FAA INSPECTOR ASKED ME WHAT THE STATUS WAS. I REPLIED THAT THE MECH HAD RESET THE SWITCH AND WE WOULD HAVE TO SEE IF THAT SOLUTION WORKED. (THE ENGS HAVE TO BE RUNNING FOR THE VAPOR CYCLE SYS TO OPERATE.) THE INSPECTOR THEN SAID, 'SHOULDN'T YOU WRITE THAT UP?' AT THIS POINT, I GOT OUT OF MY SEAT AND TOOK THE LOGBOOK INSIDE AND CALLED MAINT CTL TO DEFER THE VCM SYS, WITH THE PAX SITTING ON THE HOT ACFT ALL THE WHILE. WHEN I GOT BACK INTO THE COCKPIT, THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT 'I DIDN'T MEAN THAT YOU HAD TO DEFER THE ITEM.' I REPLIED THAT THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE ONCE IT WAS WRITTEN UP. THE NEXT DAY, THE SAME INSPECTOR TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS CONSIDERING A POSSIBLE LETTER OF INVESTIGATION OF THIS INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT I AM A VERY CONSCIENTIOUS PERSON WHO TRIES THEIR BEST TO MAKE EVERY FLT SAFE AND LEGAL. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE WORDING OF FAR 121.563, I TRULY BELIEVED THAT I WAS COMPLYING WITH ITS INTENT. AS FAR AS FUTURE CORRECTIVE ACTION, I REALIZE THAT THE ITEM SHOULD BE WRITTEN UP AND, IN THE FUTURE, WILL BE NO MATTER HOW INSIGNIFICANT. ALSO, I BELIEVE THAT TRYING TO STAY ON SCHEDULE WHILE CONDUCTING CAPT IOE IS VERY HARD TO DO, SINCE I, AS THE REAL CAPT, MUST CHK WX AND SIGN THE DISPATCH RELEASE AS ALWAYS, PLUS PERFORM THE FO DUTIES.

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.