Narrative:

I had a discussion with a dea agent on oct/mon/95, about the platform I installed, and the intercom system, and he pointed out that what I had done may have been 'illegal.' I am a private pilot, and I fly frequently with mr X, owner of a cessna 172. In sep/xx/95, I removed the back seat of the aircraft, and installed a platform of equal weight in its place, with the permission of the owners. I was, and am not, aware of any violation of the FARS in so doing. However, I may still have done so. I regret any inadvertent violation this may have caused, and I take full responsibility for the installation of the platform. Also, I installed an intercom system in 1992. This system has worked without any problems since. I am not aware of any violation of the FARS in so doing, but I may have inadvertently done so. I am sorry if this is so. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: en route to florida and in the vicinity of savannah, GA, the pilot's aircraft began running rough. As a precautionary measure, he diverted and landed at savannah. After landing the reporter and the reporter passenger were confronted by a drug enforcement agent, who apparently was convinced they were running drugs. The agent even had drug sniffing dogs search the aircraft and found nothing. It appears that the agent was intimidating the pilot and passenger because he first faulted their use of automatic gas and then faulted them for the platform installation. In fact, the drug agent told the reporter, 'if you cooperate, I'll get the FAA to be lenient on you, otherwise I know some high level FAA officials who will come down hard on you.' reporter has researched the platform installation and found nothing. The rough running engine was attributed to carrying higher than normal RPM in hot WX.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEA FLC CONFRONTATION.

Narrative: I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH A DEA AGENT ON OCT/MON/95, ABOUT THE PLATFORM I INSTALLED, AND THE INTERCOM SYS, AND HE POINTED OUT THAT WHAT I HAD DONE MAY HAVE BEEN 'ILLEGAL.' I AM A PVT PLT, AND I FLY FREQUENTLY WITH MR X, OWNER OF A CESSNA 172. IN SEP/XX/95, I REMOVED THE BACK SEAT OF THE ACFT, AND INSTALLED A PLATFORM OF EQUAL WT IN ITS PLACE, WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE OWNERS. I WAS, AND AM NOT, AWARE OF ANY VIOLATION OF THE FARS IN SO DOING. HOWEVER, I MAY STILL HAVE DONE SO. I REGRET ANY INADVERTENT VIOLATION THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED, AND I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE PLATFORM. ALSO, I INSTALLED AN INTERCOM SYS IN 1992. THIS SYS HAS WORKED WITHOUT ANY PROBS SINCE. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY VIOLATION OF THE FARS IN SO DOING, BUT I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY DONE SO. I AM SORRY IF THIS IS SO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ENRTE TO FLORIDA AND IN THE VICINITY OF SAVANNAH, GA, THE PLT'S ACFT BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE, HE DIVERTED AND LANDED AT SAVANNAH. AFTER LNDG THE RPTR AND THE RPTR PAX WERE CONFRONTED BY A DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENT, WHO APPARENTLY WAS CONVINCED THEY WERE RUNNING DRUGS. THE AGENT EVEN HAD DRUG SNIFFING DOGS SEARCH THE ACFT AND FOUND NOTHING. IT APPEARS THAT THE AGENT WAS INTIMIDATING THE PLT AND PAX BECAUSE HE FIRST FAULTED THEIR USE OF AUTO GAS AND THEN FAULTED THEM FOR THE PLATFORM INSTALLATION. IN FACT, THE DRUG AGENT TOLD THE RPTR, 'IF YOU COOPERATE, I'LL GET THE FAA TO BE LENIENT ON YOU, OTHERWISE I KNOW SOME HIGH LEVEL FAA OFFICIALS WHO WILL COME DOWN HARD ON YOU.' RPTR HAS RESEARCHED THE PLATFORM INSTALLATION AND FOUND NOTHING. THE ROUGH RUNNING ENG WAS ATTRIBUTED TO CARRYING HIGHER THAN NORMAL RPM IN HOT WX.

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.