Narrative:

During cruise flight; first officer stated he needed to use the restroom. We advised the cabin crew and the #1 flight attendant entered the cockpit and occupied the jumpseat. There was an FAA inspector doing a cabin check during the flight. When the first officer returned; he called the cockpit and stated that the FAA inspector wanted to speak to the captain. I felt this was somewhat out of the ordinary. I allowed the inspector access after verifying that it was actually him. When he entered the cockpit; the flight attendant stepped out and the first officer could not gain access to his seat. The inspector proceeded to ask me what altitude the oxygen mask should be donned when a crew member leaves the cockpit; and I replied; FL250. For this; I was not in compliance at this point in time and the inspector said he would discuss the issue on the ground. Supplemental information from acn 720687: upon completing my business in the rear of the aircraft; I returned to the front; picked up the interphone to regain access to the flight deck. I then noticed that I had been followed up by the FAA inspector who was sitting in row xx. At that moment he asked to gain access to the flight deck. He told me that he just wanted to 'take a quick look.' I called the captain via the interphone and informed him of the situation. I then passed the phone to the FAA inspector and let him speak directly to the captain. Upon completion of their conversation; I was told to allow the FAA inspector to enter the cockpit as requested during the change-out with the #1 flight attendant. Immediately upon opening the door; the FAA inspector asked why the captain was not wearing his oxygen. The captain responded that he had forgotten to put on his oxygen mask. The FAA person responded with 'well; we will have to discuss this on the ground.' after several requests from the #1 flight attendant to please close the cockpit door; the FAA person finally returned to his seat. Upon speaking with the FAA person on the ground it was also brought to our attention that no crew member had challenged the FAA person as to his credentials.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CABIN CHK FAA INSPECTOR CHALLENGED A CRJ600 CAPT WHO DID NOT WEAR HIS OXYGEN MASK WHILE THE FO DEPARTED THE FLT STATION.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE FLT; FO STATED HE NEEDED TO USE THE RESTROOM. WE ADVISED THE CABIN CREW AND THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND OCCUPIED THE JUMPSEAT. THERE WAS AN FAA INSPECTOR DOING A CABIN CHK DURING THE FLT. WHEN THE FO RETURNED; HE CALLED THE COCKPIT AND STATED THAT THE FAA INSPECTOR WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE CAPT. I FELT THIS WAS SOMEWHAT OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I ALLOWED THE INSPECTOR ACCESS AFTER VERIFYING THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY HIM. WHEN HE ENTERED THE COCKPIT; THE FLT ATTENDANT STEPPED OUT AND THE FO COULD NOT GAIN ACCESS TO HIS SEAT. THE INSPECTOR PROCEEDED TO ASK ME WHAT ALT THE OXYGEN MASK SHOULD BE DONNED WHEN A CREW MEMBER LEAVES THE COCKPIT; AND I REPLIED; FL250. FOR THIS; I WAS NOT IN COMPLIANCE AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND THE INSPECTOR SAID HE WOULD DISCUSS THE ISSUE ON THE GND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 720687: UPON COMPLETING MY BUSINESS IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT; I RETURNED TO THE FRONT; PICKED UP THE INTERPHONE TO REGAIN ACCESS TO THE FLT DECK. I THEN NOTICED THAT I HAD BEEN FOLLOWED UP BY THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO WAS SITTING IN ROW XX. AT THAT MOMENT HE ASKED TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE FLT DECK. HE TOLD ME THAT HE JUST WANTED TO 'TAKE A QUICK LOOK.' I CALLED THE CAPT VIA THE INTERPHONE AND INFORMED HIM OF THE SITUATION. I THEN PASSED THE PHONE TO THE FAA INSPECTOR AND LET HIM SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE CAPT. UPON COMPLETION OF THEIR CONVERSATION; I WAS TOLD TO ALLOW THE FAA INSPECTOR TO ENTER THE COCKPIT AS REQUESTED DURING THE CHANGE-OUT WITH THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT. IMMEDIATELY UPON OPENING THE DOOR; THE FAA INSPECTOR ASKED WHY THE CAPT WAS NOT WEARING HIS OXYGEN. THE CAPT RESPONDED THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO PUT ON HIS OXYGEN MASK. THE FAA PERSON RESPONDED WITH 'WELL; WE WILL HAVE TO DISCUSS THIS ON THE GND.' AFTER SEVERAL REQUESTS FROM THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT TO PLEASE CLOSE THE COCKPIT DOOR; THE FAA PERSON FINALLY RETURNED TO HIS SEAT. UPON SPEAKING WITH THE FAA PERSON ON THE GND IT WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO OUR ATTN THAT NO CREW MEMBER HAD CHALLENGED THE FAA PERSON AS TO HIS CREDENTIALS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.