CAPT OF MLG ACR ACFT OPERATED ACFT IN UNAIRWORTHY CONDITION AFTER FAA AVIONICS AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR NOTED A MALFUNCTIONING ALTIMETER.

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ANOTHER FAA ACR INSPECTOR CONFLICT. INSPECTOR BOARDED ACFT IN STL DURING A VERY SHORT STOP. CAME INTO COCKPIT WITH ONLY FAA CREDENTIAL #110A. WAS TOLD THAT WE ALSO NEEDED FAA FORM 8430-13 'ACCESS TO ACFT.' SAID 'I GAVE IT TO GATE AGENT.' WE SAID; PLEASE RETRIEVE IT AND GIVE IT TO US. SIT CREATED OBVIOUS CONFLICT. LEFT COCKPIT. STARTED QUIZZING FLT ATTENDANT GREETING PAX ABOUT EMER EXIT PROCS. WAS TOLD BY ME THAT IF HE NEEDED TO ASK QUESTIONS; PLEASE EITHER WAIT UNTIL PAX BOARDED OR UNTIL ACFT AT DEST. INSPECTOR ALSO DID NOT KNOW HOW TO OPERATE JUMP SEAT OR OXYGEN; DELAYING PUSHBACK. FLT UNEVENTFUL UNTIL ARR AT DEST. INSPECTOR ABOUT TO LEAVE ACFT WHEN ASKED; 'DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR US?' HE REPLIED; 'YES THE COPLT'S ALTIMETER IS STICKING AND YOU HAVE A LIGHT OUT ON COPLT'S DME.' HE THEN THANKED US AND LEFT BEFORE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK HIM TO ELABORATE. THE ALTIMETER ON THE COPLT SIDE OF MLG IS ANALOG TYPE ALTIMETER. HOWEVER; DURING FLT FROM STL-MCI FO NEVER OBSERVED IT TO HESITATE. THE DME DISPLAY WAS MISSING THE DIGIT ON THE 10TH DECIMAL; BUT WAS READABLE. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS INSPECTOR WROTE US UP FOR NOT GNDING ACFT. I SUGGEST THAT IF FAA HAS A PROB WITH AIRWORTHINESS OF ACFT IT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO FLC'S ATTN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS INTERRUPTED FROM QUESTIONING THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT BY HIM SINCE SHE WAS MONITORING PAX BOARDING AND SHOULD NOT BE DOING OTHER DUTY AT THAT TIME. HE BELIEVES THAT THIS UPSET THE INSPECTOR TO THE POINT THAT HE WAS TRYING TO FIND A DISCREPANCY TO 'WRITE UP' AND WAS FURTHER NOT COOPERATIVE IN THE WAY HE HANDLED THE DEBRIEFING. HE STATED THAT THE FO HAD NOT SEEN ANY PROB WITH THE ALTIMETER AND REQUESTED TO KNOW WHEN THE INST SHOWED A PROB. THE FAA INSPECTOR COULD NOT REMEMBER WHEN IT SHOWED A PROB. HOWEVER; HE HAS SENT A LETTER OF INVESTIGATION FOR OPERATING THE ACFT WHEN THIS INST WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY SINCE IT IS A NO 'MEL' ITEM. THEREFORE; THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GNDED. THE RPTR FURTHER STATED THAT HE INTENDS TO 'FIGHT' THIS ALLEGATION.