FAA ramp check reveals many discrepancies on charter aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	87147
Time
Date	198805
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mth
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	87147
Person 2
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a ramp check these items were pointed out: weight and balance data in flight manual was inadequate, computation was missing, but end result was there. One static wick was missing. The MEL was the old type (3 column), and did not address serial #, only type. Unable to determine the due date of the liferaft. Despite these findings we were told by the inspector that we could continue the trip. How to prevent this from happening again. We have approved ways of determining the weight and balance of our airplane. This way does not require us to look in the flight manual, but after this I will look every time. You can never be too sure. The static wick was broken off during overnight in pbi. I found out that we have a request by local FAA for a new MEL. It has been at the FAA for over a year awaiting approval. The due date seems to be altered on the life raft. I did not check the date. I relied on the people that put the raft in the airplane. However, a raft was not required on the flight to mth. Again you can not be too careful by checking everything.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAA RAMP CHECK REVEALS MANY DISCREPANCIES ON CHARTER ACFT.

Narrative: DURING A RAMP CHECK THESE ITEMS WERE POINTED OUT: WEIGHT AND BALANCE DATA IN FLT MANUAL WAS INADEQUATE, COMPUTATION WAS MISSING, BUT END RESULT WAS THERE. ONE STATIC WICK WAS MISSING. THE MEL WAS THE OLD TYPE (3 COLUMN), AND DID NOT ADDRESS SERIAL #, ONLY TYPE. UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE DUE DATE OF THE LIFERAFT. DESPITE THESE FINDINGS WE WERE TOLD BY THE INSPECTOR THAT WE COULD CONTINUE THE TRIP. HOW TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. WE HAVE APPROVED WAYS OF DETERMINING THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE OF OUR AIRPLANE. THIS WAY DOES NOT REQUIRE US TO LOOK IN THE FLT MANUAL, BUT AFTER THIS I WILL LOOK EVERY TIME. YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO SURE. THE STATIC WICK WAS BROKEN OFF DURING OVERNIGHT IN PBI. I FOUND OUT THAT WE HAVE A REQUEST BY LOCAL FAA FOR A NEW MEL. IT HAS BEEN AT THE FAA FOR OVER A YEAR AWAITING APPROVAL. THE DUE DATE SEEMS TO BE ALTERED ON THE LIFE RAFT. I DID NOT CHECK THE DATE. I RELIED ON THE PEOPLE THAT PUT THE RAFT IN THE AIRPLANE. HOWEVER, A RAFT WAS NOT REQUIRED ON THE FLT TO MTH. AGAIN YOU CAN NOT BE TOO CAREFUL BY CHECKING EVERYTHING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.