BE55 pilot was given a ramp inspection by the FAA in a foreign country, mygf.

Attributes
ACN	594959
Time
Date	200309
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mygf.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 58/58TC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1530 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	594959
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

While on a short pleasure trip for lunch in freeport, bahamas, we returned to the aircraft to find a tag tied to the back door handle flopping in the wind. When I tore it off, it appeared to be an FAA notice telling me that the plane had been inspected by an FAA inspector while it was parked. It was very difficult to read and appeared to be a fake. It stated that the plane has 3 missing static wicks and a loose left flap. It further stated that the problems were not considered to be an imminent hazard to safety. But it also stated that 'a special flight permit' will be required to be issued prior to operation if corrective action has not been taken. I did not believe that a 'ferry permit' was needed for some simple problems that were not an imminent hazard to safety. Further, I believed that this was a trick to force me to hire a mechanic at freeport. Ignored the notice and flew home. The next day, I checked and it appeared that the notice was genuine. It seems that the FAA is inspecting parked aircraft in the bahamas! I now plan to have the plane inspected and or repaired and the ticket mailed back to the FAA. I believe that the FAA should be notifying pilots that they are doing these inspections and not require a special flight permit when problems found are not a hazard to safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PLT WAS GIVEN A RAMP INSPECTION BY THE FAA IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, MYGF.

Narrative: WHILE ON A SHORT PLEASURE TRIP FOR LUNCH IN FREEPORT, BAHAMAS, WE RETURNED TO THE ACFT TO FIND A TAG TIED TO THE BACK DOOR HANDLE FLOPPING IN THE WIND. WHEN I TORE IT OFF, IT APPEARED TO BE AN FAA NOTICE TELLING ME THAT THE PLANE HAD BEEN INSPECTED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR WHILE IT WAS PARKED. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO READ AND APPEARED TO BE A FAKE. IT STATED THAT THE PLANE HAS 3 MISSING STATIC WICKS AND A LOOSE L FLAP. IT FURTHER STATED THAT THE PROBS WERE NOT CONSIDERED TO BE AN IMMINENT HAZARD TO SAFETY. BUT IT ALSO STATED THAT 'A SPECIAL FLT PERMIT' WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE ISSUED PRIOR TO OP IF CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN. I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT A 'FERRY PERMIT' WAS NEEDED FOR SOME SIMPLE PROBS THAT WERE NOT AN IMMINENT HAZARD TO SAFETY. FURTHER, I BELIEVED THAT THIS WAS A TRICK TO FORCE ME TO HIRE A MECH AT FREEPORT. IGNORED THE NOTICE AND FLEW HOME. THE NEXT DAY, I CHKED AND IT APPEARED THAT THE NOTICE WAS GENUINE. IT SEEMS THAT THE FAA IS INSPECTING PARKED ACFT IN THE BAHAMAS! I NOW PLAN TO HAVE THE PLANE INSPECTED AND OR REPAIRED AND THE TICKET MAILED BACK TO THE FAA. I BELIEVE THAT THE FAA SHOULD BE NOTIFYING PLTS THAT THEY ARE DOING THESE INSPECTIONS AND NOT REQUIRE A SPECIAL FLT PERMIT WHEN PROBS FOUND ARE NOT A HAZARD TO SAFETY.

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.