Narrative:

Myself and another mechanic who are based at ZZZ1 were on a road trip to ZZZ to repair a crj. We performed initial troubleshooting in order to determine if additional parts would be needed so they could be sent to us from ZZZ2. Upon completion of the troubleshooting, FAA inspector from ZZZ3 arrived and began asking numerous questions. He stayed on the aircraft observing us and asking questions for several hours while we were working. He also stated several times that he was going to stay on the aircraft and observe us working until we were finished and signed off the logbook. By his mannerism and tone of voice, I got the impression that he was planning to stay until either we were finished, or he found us violating the far's, whichever came first. This is very detrimental to aviation safety because, as an a&P mechanic, it is very nerve-wracking and a huge distraction to have an FAA inspector looking over your shoulder watching your every move while you perform maintenance. After approximately 3 hours, he eventually left and we were able to complete our work without further distrs and in accordance with the appropriate aircraft maintenance manuals. Supplemental information from acn 600195: once I updated him on the time frame of maintenance still needing to be done, he decided he did not have all night and was going back to his hotel. We gave our copy of the logbook page and the references to the outsource maintenance personnel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ-200 BEING WORKED BY FIELD SVC TECHNICIANS RPT BEING MET BY AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR WHO OBSERVED THEIR WORK FOR 3 HRS.

Narrative: MYSELF AND ANOTHER MECH WHO ARE BASED AT ZZZ1 WERE ON A ROAD TRIP TO ZZZ TO REPAIR A CRJ. WE PERFORMED INITIAL TROUBLESHOOTING IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF ADDITIONAL PARTS WOULD BE NEEDED SO THEY COULD BE SENT TO US FROM ZZZ2. UPON COMPLETION OF THE TROUBLESHOOTING, FAA INSPECTOR FROM ZZZ3 ARRIVED AND BEGAN ASKING NUMEROUS QUESTIONS. HE STAYED ON THE ACFT OBSERVING US AND ASKING QUESTIONS FOR SEVERAL HRS WHILE WE WERE WORKING. HE ALSO STATED SEVERAL TIMES THAT HE WAS GOING TO STAY ON THE ACFT AND OBSERVE US WORKING UNTIL WE WERE FINISHED AND SIGNED OFF THE LOGBOOK. BY HIS MANNERISM AND TONE OF VOICE, I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT HE WAS PLANNING TO STAY UNTIL EITHER WE WERE FINISHED, OR HE FOUND US VIOLATING THE FAR'S, WHICHEVER CAME FIRST. THIS IS VERY DETRIMENTAL TO AVIATION SAFETY BECAUSE, AS AN A&P MECH, IT IS VERY NERVE-WRACKING AND A HUGE DISTR TO HAVE AN FAA INSPECTOR LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER WATCHING YOUR EVERY MOVE WHILE YOU PERFORM MAINT. AFTER APPROX 3 HRS, HE EVENTUALLY LEFT AND WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE OUR WORK WITHOUT FURTHER DISTRS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROPRIATE ACFT MAINT MANUALS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 600195: ONCE I UPDATED HIM ON THE TIME FRAME OF MAINT STILL NEEDING TO BE DONE, HE DECIDED HE DID NOT HAVE ALL NIGHT AND WAS GOING BACK TO HIS HOTEL. WE GAVE OUR COPY OF THE LOGBOOK PAGE AND THE REFS TO THE OUTSOURCE MAINT PERSONNEL.

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.