Small aircraft reenters united states with identify letters not 12 inches high. Customs calls FAA.

Attributes
ACN	194542
Time
Date	199111
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fxe
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mia
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : parked landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8300 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	194542
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I planned a fishing trip to grand bahamas island. The aircraft I was supposed to fly developed last min radio trouble. A close friend loaned me his airplane. Uneventful flight to bahamas. While parked on customs ramp on return flight the fll executive (fxe) customs agent notified me that n-numbers on my friend's airplane were 'not according to the rules.' he immediately called FAA and reported infraction of this absurd rule and notified me that FAA advised that I would be cited. I recall the rule but thought surely by now someone in authority would have rescinded it due to its ridiculousness. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the numbers on the aircraft were 9 inches and easily readable. He has heard nothing to date from the FAA. Reporter is a designated flight examiner and has spoken with FAA personnel who indicate any response would be from the security branch of the FAA. Their only comment was why is customs trying to enforce FAA rules?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA REENTERS UNITED STATES WITH IDENT LETTERS NOT 12 INCHES HIGH. CUSTOMS CALLS FAA.

Narrative: I PLANNED A FISHING TRIP TO GRAND BAHAMAS ISLAND. THE ACFT I WAS SUPPOSED TO FLY DEVELOPED LAST MIN RADIO TROUBLE. A CLOSE FRIEND LOANED ME HIS AIRPLANE. UNEVENTFUL FLT TO BAHAMAS. WHILE PARKED ON CUSTOMS RAMP ON RETURN FLT THE FLL EXECUTIVE (FXE) CUSTOMS AGENT NOTIFIED ME THAT N-NUMBERS ON MY FRIEND'S AIRPLANE WERE 'NOT ACCORDING TO THE RULES.' HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED FAA AND RPTED INFRACTION OF THIS ABSURD RULE AND NOTIFIED ME THAT FAA ADVISED THAT I WOULD BE CITED. I RECALL THE RULE BUT THOUGHT SURELY BY NOW SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY WOULD HAVE RESCINDED IT DUE TO ITS RIDICULOUSNESS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE NUMBERS ON THE ACFT WERE 9 INCHES AND EASILY READABLE. HE HAS HEARD NOTHING TO DATE FROM THE FAA. RPTR IS A DESIGNATED FLT EXAMINER AND HAS SPOKEN WITH FAA PERSONNEL WHO INDICATE ANY RESPONSE WOULD BE FROM THE SECURITY BRANCH OF THE FAA. THEIR ONLY COMMENT WAS WHY IS CUSTOMS TRYING TO ENFORCE FAA RULES?

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.