Narrative:

Captain added fuel to a total of 36800 pounds (due to thunderstorm forecast). Got on board the aircraft and discovered an MEL item with fuel gauge inoperative of fuel to be 34500 pounds. Captain decided to defuel aircraft, but delays became extensive. Captain then decided to coordinate with dispatcher and make excess fuel as 'payload' fuel -- do not burn. Aircraft departed gate and flew safely and uneventfully to its destination. No FARS were broken -- safety not compromised, with fuel problem. Problem: FAA inspector doing an en route check while riding home. FAA inspector stood up in cockpit and 'demanded to know' what the captain was going to do with excess fuel. FAA inspector was acting as if 'he' were the only 'perfect' person on the planet and 'he' was 'mr FAA' here to 'violate' you if everything wasn't perfect. Captain and his dispatcher agreed to make the excess fuel -- payload fuel -- with inspector (FAA) concurrence. En route, FAA inspector boasted of giving out violations to his friends. And also FAA inspector was unhappy about previous air carrier X captain's writing a captain report stating that FAA inspector had caused a delay of other air carrier X aircraft. FAA inspector seems to be 'predatory' in his role as FAA inspector. He caused tenseness and disruption excessively in cockpit.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT CHOSE TO CLASSIFY EXCESS FUEL ABOVE STIPULATED LIMIT FOR AN LGT 3 ENG ACFT, WITH A FUEL GAUGE INOP, AS PAYLOAD FUEL. THIS PROC WAS AGREED UPON BY THE DISPATCHER AND INITIALLY BY AN FAA INSPECTOR MAKING AN ENRTE SURVEILLANCE INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE INSPECTOR INDICATED THAT HE WAS CONTEMPLATING VIOLATION ACTION AFTER THE FLT.

Narrative: CAPT ADDED FUEL TO A TOTAL OF 36800 LBS (DUE TO TSTM FORECAST). GOT ON BOARD THE ACFT AND DISCOVERED AN MEL ITEM WITH FUEL GAUGE INOP OF FUEL TO BE 34500 LBS. CAPT DECIDED TO DEFUEL ACFT, BUT DELAYS BECAME EXTENSIVE. CAPT THEN DECIDED TO COORDINATE WITH DISPATCHER AND MAKE EXCESS FUEL AS 'PAYLOAD' FUEL -- DO NOT BURN. ACFT DEPARTED GATE AND FLEW SAFELY AND UNEVENTFULLY TO ITS DEST. NO FARS WERE BROKEN -- SAFETY NOT COMPROMISED, WITH FUEL PROB. PROB: FAA INSPECTOR DOING AN ENRTE CHK WHILE RIDING HOME. FAA INSPECTOR STOOD UP IN COCKPIT AND 'DEMANDED TO KNOW' WHAT THE CAPT WAS GOING TO DO WITH EXCESS FUEL. FAA INSPECTOR WAS ACTING AS IF 'HE' WERE THE ONLY 'PERFECT' PERSON ON THE PLANET AND 'HE' WAS 'MR FAA' HERE TO 'VIOLATE' YOU IF EVERYTHING WASN'T PERFECT. CAPT AND HIS DISPATCHER AGREED TO MAKE THE EXCESS FUEL -- PAYLOAD FUEL -- WITH INSPECTOR (FAA) CONCURRENCE. ENRTE, FAA INSPECTOR BOASTED OF GIVING OUT VIOLATIONS TO HIS FRIENDS. AND ALSO FAA INSPECTOR WAS UNHAPPY ABOUT PREVIOUS ACR X CAPT'S WRITING A CAPT RPT STATING THAT FAA INSPECTOR HAD CAUSED A DELAY OF OTHER ACR X ACFT. FAA INSPECTOR SEEMS TO BE 'PREDATORY' IN HIS ROLE AS FAA INSPECTOR. HE CAUSED TENSENESS AND DISRUPTION EXCESSIVELY IN COCKPIT.

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.