Narrative:

I recently signed off a student of mine for his instrument airplane rating check ride with an FAA examiner friend of his. The student was/is also signed off for a private pilot airplane check ride on the same date, with the same examiner, but by another instructor. I was concerned that since eligibility for the instrument rating assumes the applicant holds a current private license (or better), appropriate to the category sought, that I could not do this. So I called the FSDO in our area. (The FAA check airman who is a friend of the student had already instructed me, through the student to sign him off anyway). 2 more FAA inspectors told me to sign the student off anyhow, and guaranteed to back me up, that they had indeed instructed me to sign him off even though he did not yet hold an appropriate private certificate or better, and also personally guaranteed I would not get in any trouble for doing so. In hindsight, I will not again do something like this by what essentially constitutes a verbal waiver. I will require a written one. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the individual he signed off was ex-military and had the required hours for the private and instrument certification. He also indicated he submitted the ASRS report because he had gotten into trouble before regarding signing off an individual for a certificate and felt he may have been in jeopardy with the dual certificate issued.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFII IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF A CHK RIDE GIVEN TO HIS STUDENT.

Narrative: I RECENTLY SIGNED OFF A STUDENT OF MINE FOR HIS INST AIRPLANE RATING CHK RIDE WITH AN FAA EXAMINER FRIEND OF HIS. THE STUDENT WAS/IS ALSO SIGNED OFF FOR A PVT PLT AIRPLANE CHK RIDE ON THE SAME DATE, WITH THE SAME EXAMINER, BUT BY ANOTHER INSTRUCTOR. I WAS CONCERNED THAT SINCE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE INST RATING ASSUMES THE APPLICANT HOLDS A CURRENT PVT LICENSE (OR BETTER), APPROPRIATE TO THE CATEGORY SOUGHT, THAT I COULD NOT DO THIS. SO I CALLED THE FSDO IN OUR AREA. (THE FAA CHK AIRMAN WHO IS A FRIEND OF THE STUDENT HAD ALREADY INSTRUCTED ME, THROUGH THE STUDENT TO SIGN HIM OFF ANYWAY). 2 MORE FAA INSPECTORS TOLD ME TO SIGN THE STUDENT OFF ANYHOW, AND GUARANTEED TO BACK ME UP, THAT THEY HAD INDEED INSTRUCTED ME TO SIGN HIM OFF EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT YET HOLD AN APPROPRIATE PVT CERTIFICATE OR BETTER, AND ALSO PERSONALLY GUARANTEED I WOULD NOT GET IN ANY TROUBLE FOR DOING SO. IN HINDSIGHT, I WILL NOT AGAIN DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS BY WHAT ESSENTIALLY CONSTITUTES A VERBAL WAIVER. I WILL REQUIRE A WRITTEN ONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE INDIVIDUAL HE SIGNED OFF WAS EX-MIL AND HAD THE REQUIRED HRS FOR THE PVT AND INST CERTIFICATION. HE ALSO INDICATED HE SUBMITTED THE ASRS RPT BECAUSE HE HAD GOTTEN INTO TROUBLE BEFORE REGARDING SIGNING OFF AN INDIVIDUAL FOR A CERTIFICATE AND FELT HE MAY HAVE BEEN IN JEOPARDY WITH THE DUAL CERTIFICATE ISSUED.

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.