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FAA inspector questioned a tb-20 pilot for using the manufacturer approved aircraft grounding point during aircraft refueling.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 513540 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200106 |
| Day | Mon |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sdf.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Trinidad TB-20 |
| Flight Phase | ground other : fueling |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 110 |
| ASRS Report | 513540 |
| Events | |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
Narrative:
Fueling at self-serve pump with aircraft grounded according to manufacturer's specified grounding point. FAA inspector came over and said he was checking me because of 'interesting' grounding technique. I explained that this ground point (next to fuel port on top of wing) is the official grounding point as stated by manufacturer, in turn required by the FAA during us certification of airframe. Inspector continued to be puzzled by this after several repetitions of why the ground point is where it is. Inspector copied airmen certificate medical and aircraft information. I continued to finish fueling. Some fuel spilled on ground during tank sumping. Inspection could have been avoided if 1) non approved but 'accepted' grounding point used (wheels, exhaust, etc). 2) FAA inspector had more complete knowledge of aircraft type. 3) ground point officially moved to a more logical location.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FAA INSPECTOR QUESTIONED A TB-20 PLT FOR USING THE MANUFACTURER APPROVED ACFT GNDING POINT DURING ACFT REFUELING.
Narrative: FUELING AT SELF-SERVE PUMP WITH ACFT GNDED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFIED GNDING POINT. FAA INSPECTOR CAME OVER AND SAID HE WAS CHKING ME BECAUSE OF 'INTERESTING' GNDING TECHNIQUE. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS GND POINT (NEXT TO FUEL PORT ON TOP OF WING) IS THE OFFICIAL GNDING POINT AS STATED BY MANUFACTURER, IN TURN REQUIRED BY THE FAA DURING US CERTIFICATION OF AIRFRAME. INSPECTOR CONTINUED TO BE PUZZLED BY THIS AFTER SEVERAL REPETITIONS OF WHY THE GND POINT IS WHERE IT IS. INSPECTOR COPIED AIRMEN CERTIFICATE MEDICAL AND ACFT INFO. I CONTINUED TO FINISH FUELING. SOME FUEL SPILLED ON GND DURING TANK SUMPING. INSPECTION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF 1) NON APPROVED BUT 'ACCEPTED' GNDING POINT USED (WHEELS, EXHAUST, ETC). 2) FAA INSPECTOR HAD MORE COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF ACFT TYPE. 3) GND POINT OFFICIALLY MOVED TO A MORE LOGICAL LOCATION.
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.