Part of emergency exit sign missing.

Attributes
ACN	287531
Time
Date	199411
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : day
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 1 controller supervisory : 1 flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	287531
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

FAA inspector came on board to do a ramp check. Not sure exact title of his inspection. Anyway, just prior to deplaning, he pointed out to the PIC that the word 'pull' was missing from 1 of the 2 overwing emergency exits. His words were 'you need to get this taken care of when you get back to nashville.' he left and we departed. Many questions came to mind. Since I had flown the plane to day, oh, probably with the placard missing then was that a violation? Should I have left the gate based on the inspector saying get it taken care of? Should the first officer have caught this discrepancy and told me? Why did I go ahead and leave and not even call maintenance? -- Simply get homeitis. I also based the decision on a professional trust that the inspector was letting me out of a situation that he could have pressed into an issue. Next time I'll do things differently. 1) ask the inspector if he considers the discrepancy a grounding issue. 2) either way, call company maintenance and work with them based on what the inspector said. Another use of cockpit resource management. Me and the FAA and maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PART OF EMER EXIT SIGN MISSING.

Narrative: FAA INSPECTOR CAME ON BOARD TO DO A RAMP CHK. NOT SURE EXACT TITLE OF HIS INSPECTION. ANYWAY, JUST PRIOR TO DEPLANING, HE POINTED OUT TO THE PIC THAT THE WORD 'PULL' WAS MISSING FROM 1 OF THE 2 OVERWING EMER EXITS. HIS WORDS WERE 'YOU NEED TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF WHEN YOU GET BACK TO NASHVILLE.' HE LEFT AND WE DEPARTED. MANY QUESTIONS CAME TO MIND. SINCE I HAD FLOWN THE PLANE TO DAY, OH, PROBABLY WITH THE PLACARD MISSING THEN WAS THAT A VIOLATION? SHOULD I HAVE LEFT THE GATE BASED ON THE INSPECTOR SAYING GET IT TAKEN CARE OF? SHOULD THE FO HAVE CAUGHT THIS DISCREPANCY AND TOLD ME? WHY DID I GO AHEAD AND LEAVE AND NOT EVEN CALL MAINT? -- SIMPLY GET HOMEITIS. I ALSO BASED THE DECISION ON A PROFESSIONAL TRUST THAT THE INSPECTOR WAS LETTING ME OUT OF A SIT THAT HE COULD HAVE PRESSED INTO AN ISSUE. NEXT TIME I'LL DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. 1) ASK THE INSPECTOR IF HE CONSIDERS THE DISCREPANCY A GNDING ISSUE. 2) EITHER WAY, CALL COMPANY MAINT AND WORK WITH THEM BASED ON WHAT THE INSPECTOR SAID. ANOTHER USE OF COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT. ME AND THE FAA AND MAINT.

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.