Narrative:

I had been planning to fly to belize for a vacation. My planned route was over land around the gulf of mexico. I had not set a specific time frame since I hadn't found a partner to share such a long trip. During the first week of april, I mentioned it to an old climbing buddy who said he could go only if we left as soon as possible while he had some down time at work. We felt a visit to lakeland, fl, for sun and fun would be a good start for the trip. In making last min plans I decided to try to fly from key west over the gulf of mexico. The distance was just within my aircraft's usable range. I felt an additional emergency fuel supply would make the trip more safe in case of headwind or other unexpected complication. After some discussion with my mechanic, I made a change in my fuel line to connect an extra tank. Due to the lack of time and other last min details I hadn't checked about FAA rules and forms to file. We flew to lakeland, fl, and then onto key west. We decided to abort our plans to fly to belize and chose to fly to the bahama islands instead. The extra tank was never connected or used. Upon returning to the USA at fort pierce, customs cited me for my modifications and failure to get FAA approval. I immediately had a certified mechanic remove the modifications and restore the system to its original state. He stated that my use of approved aircraft fittings would have been approved by the FAA for use. He said that if a certified mechanic had made the installation the system would have passed for a ferrying permit in an emergency situation. I feel that the time constraint that occurred didn't allow for me to have had my mechanic install the system and apply and receive FAA approval for its use. My actions were for safety only and not permanent use. The fact that I changed my trip plans and didn't connect or use the tank shows that no intentional violation of FAA rules was intended.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT PLANNING OVER WATER PLEASURE FLT AT EXTREME RANGE FOR HIS SMA ACFT MAKES UNCERTIFIED MODIFICATION FOR RESERVE FUEL, SPOTTED BY CUSTOMS INSPECTOR AT RE-ENTRY.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN PLANNING TO FLY TO BELIZE FOR A VACATION. MY PLANNED RTE WAS OVER LAND AROUND THE GULF OF MEXICO. I HAD NOT SET A SPECIFIC TIME FRAME SINCE I HADN'T FOUND A PARTNER TO SHARE SUCH A LONG TRIP. DURING THE FIRST WK OF APRIL, I MENTIONED IT TO AN OLD CLBING BUDDY WHO SAID HE COULD GO ONLY IF WE LEFT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHILE HE HAD SOME DOWN TIME AT WORK. WE FELT A VISIT TO LAKELAND, FL, FOR SUN AND FUN WOULD BE A GOOD START FOR THE TRIP. IN MAKING LAST MIN PLANS I DECIDED TO TRY TO FLY FROM KEY WEST OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE DISTANCE WAS JUST WITHIN MY ACFT'S USABLE RANGE. I FELT AN ADDITIONAL EMER FUEL SUPPLY WOULD MAKE THE TRIP MORE SAFE IN CASE OF HEADWIND OR OTHER UNEXPECTED COMPLICATION. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION WITH MY MECH, I MADE A CHANGE IN MY FUEL LINE TO CONNECT AN EXTRA TANK. DUE TO THE LACK OF TIME AND OTHER LAST MIN DETAILS I HADN'T CHKED ABOUT FAA RULES AND FORMS TO FILE. WE FLEW TO LAKELAND, FL, AND THEN ONTO KEY WEST. WE DECIDED TO ABORT OUR PLANS TO FLY TO BELIZE AND CHOSE TO FLY TO THE BAHAMA ISLANDS INSTEAD. THE EXTRA TANK WAS NEVER CONNECTED OR USED. UPON RETURNING TO THE USA AT FORT PIERCE, CUSTOMS CITED ME FOR MY MODIFICATIONS AND FAILURE TO GET FAA APPROVAL. I IMMEDIATELY HAD A CERTIFIED MECH REMOVE THE MODIFICATIONS AND RESTORE THE SYS TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE. HE STATED THAT MY USE OF APPROVED ACFT FITTINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE FAA FOR USE. HE SAID THAT IF A CERTIFIED MECH HAD MADE THE INSTALLATION THE SYS WOULD HAVE PASSED FOR A FERRYING PERMIT IN AN EMER SITUATION. I FEEL THAT THE TIME CONSTRAINT THAT OCCURRED DIDN'T ALLOW FOR ME TO HAVE HAD MY MECH INSTALL THE SYS AND APPLY AND RECEIVE FAA APPROVAL FOR ITS USE. MY ACTIONS WERE FOR SAFETY ONLY AND NOT PERMANENT USE. THE FACT THAT I CHANGED MY TRIP PLANS AND DIDN'T CONNECT OR USE THE TANK SHOWS THAT NO INTENTIONAL VIOLATION OF FAA RULES WAS INTENDED.

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.