Narrative:

On nov/sat/02, air carrier X conducted an aircraft pull contest for non profit organization in ZZZ to raise funds. Aircraft maintenance was asked to participate in this charity event, at the company's request. There are only 2 aircraft mechanics assigned to ZZZ. This was the first time we were involved in this type of activity and as a friendly gesture, I took riders in the cockpit in the 3 extra seats. They were air carrier X employees and their children. Air carrier X deemed this activity a safety violation and I was terminated. The next week, the ramp manager in ZZZ asked me if I had taken passenger while taxiing the aircraft to and from the aircraft pull. My answer was yes. He then informed me that it was against company policy. A few weeks later, my boss from ZZZ1 called and asked me the same question, with my answer being the same. It was then brought to my attention that I had violated the handbook, general maintenance manual, and FARS. I admitted that I had not read far enough in the handbook to find the rule on carrying passenger. What I had read, I thought, gave me the authority/authorized to carry passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MAINT TECHNICIAN WAS FOUND IN VIOLATION OF FARS AND COMPANY PROCS WHILE CARRYING PAX DURING TAXIING.

Narrative: ON NOV/SAT/02, ACR X CONDUCTED AN ACFT PULL CONTEST FOR NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION IN ZZZ TO RAISE FUNDS. ACFT MAINT WAS ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CHARITY EVENT, AT THE COMPANY'S REQUEST. THERE ARE ONLY 2 ACFT MECHS ASSIGNED TO ZZZ. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE WERE INVOLVED IN THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY AND AS A FRIENDLY GESTURE, I TOOK RIDERS IN THE COCKPIT IN THE 3 EXTRA SEATS. THEY WERE ACR X EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CHILDREN. ACR X DEEMED THIS ACTIVITY A SAFETY VIOLATION AND I WAS TERMINATED. THE NEXT WK, THE RAMP MGR IN ZZZ ASKED ME IF I HAD TAKEN PAX WHILE TAXIING THE ACFT TO AND FROM THE ACFT PULL. MY ANSWER WAS YES. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS AGAINST COMPANY POLICY. A FEW WKS LATER, MY BOSS FROM ZZZ1 CALLED AND ASKED ME THE SAME QUESTION, WITH MY ANSWER BEING THE SAME. IT WAS THEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT I HAD VIOLATED THE HANDBOOK, GENERAL MAINT MANUAL, AND FARS. I ADMITTED THAT I HAD NOT READ FAR ENOUGH IN THE HANDBOOK TO FIND THE RULE ON CARRYING PAX. WHAT I HAD READ, I THOUGHT, GAVE ME THE AUTH TO CARRY PAX.

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.