Seat removed by pilot and FAA inspector noted he was in violation of federal aviation regulation.

Attributes
ACN	88882
Time
Date	198806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 4ak9
State Reference	AK
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	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 85
ASRS Report	88882
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight to naknek was a cargo only flight with no passenger, and as such was conducted under part 135 of the far's. During unloading of the cargo, a cargo restraint strap became wedged under a seat roller. Since the return flight from naknek to dillingham was going to be empty (no passenger or freight) and could therefore be operated under part 91 of the far's, I decided to remove the seat in order to free the cargo strap. Seat removal and installation is allowed to be performed under part 91 of the far's by the pilot/operator. After I had removed the seat I was approached by an FAA inspector who performed a ramp check of the aircraft. The aircraft and paperwork were in order, but when the inspector saw the seat sitting off the tracks, he stated that I was in violation of the far's. I then returned to dillingham and had a mechanic inspect the seat and sign the aircraft logbooks before it was returned to service. However, for the remainder of the day, I was so distracted because of concern over possible enforcement actions that my judgement was affected causing a loss of safety during subsequent flts. This situation occurs because the FAA is not subject to a system of checks and balances like those in the criminal justice system. Pilots know this and are frequently traumatized by inspectors who flippantly talk about certificate actions. This has an extremely negative impact on safety of the system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SEAT REMOVED BY PLT AND FAA INSPECTOR NOTED HE WAS IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AVIATION REG.

Narrative: THE FLT TO NAKNEK WAS A CARGO ONLY FLT WITH NO PAX, AND AS SUCH WAS CONDUCTED UNDER PART 135 OF THE FAR'S. DURING UNLOADING OF THE CARGO, A CARGO RESTRAINT STRAP BECAME WEDGED UNDER A SEAT ROLLER. SINCE THE RETURN FLT FROM NAKNEK TO DILLINGHAM WAS GOING TO BE EMPTY (NO PAX OR FREIGHT) AND COULD THEREFORE BE OPERATED UNDER PART 91 OF THE FAR'S, I DECIDED TO REMOVE THE SEAT IN ORDER TO FREE THE CARGO STRAP. SEAT REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION IS ALLOWED TO BE PERFORMED UNDER PART 91 OF THE FAR'S BY THE PLT/OPERATOR. AFTER I HAD REMOVED THE SEAT I WAS APPROACHED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO PERFORMED A RAMP CHK OF THE ACFT. THE ACFT AND PAPERWORK WERE IN ORDER, BUT WHEN THE INSPECTOR SAW THE SEAT SITTING OFF THE TRACKS, HE STATED THAT I WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE FAR'S. I THEN RETURNED TO DILLINGHAM AND HAD A MECH INSPECT THE SEAT AND SIGN THE ACFT LOGBOOKS BEFORE IT WAS RETURNED TO SVC. HOWEVER, FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY, I WAS SO DISTRACTED BECAUSE OF CONCERN OVER POSSIBLE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS THAT MY JUDGEMENT WAS AFFECTED CAUSING A LOSS OF SAFETY DURING SUBSEQUENT FLTS. THIS SITUATION OCCURS BECAUSE THE FAA IS NOT SUBJECT TO A SYS OF CHKS AND BALS LIKE THOSE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYS. PLTS KNOW THIS AND ARE FREQUENTLY TRAUMATIZED BY INSPECTORS WHO FLIPPANTLY TALK ABOUT CERTIFICATE ACTIONS. THIS HAS AN EXTREMELY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SAFETY OF THE SYS.

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.