ACI ON BOARD WHEN FLC VIOLATES THE STERILE COCKPIT RULE BELOW 10000 FT. FAA FOLLOWUP.
Synopsis
ACI ON BOARD WHEN FLC VIOLATES THE STERILE COCKPIT RULE BELOW 10000 FT. FAA FOLLOWUP.
Narrative
AIRLINES FLT GPZ TO TUF ON CLB; A FEW COMMENTS WERE MADE BELOW 10000 FT FOR A REF TO TERRAIN FEATURES AND WERE NOT STRICTLY PERTINENT TO THE FLT. THESE COMMENTS WERE BRIEF AND IN NO WAY INTERFERED WITH THE DUTIES; COORD; OR PROFESSIONALISM OF US AS A FLC. THE FLT SEGMENT WAS IN AN EXTREMELY SPARSELY POPULATED AREA AND THERE WERE NO PAX ON BOARD FOR THIS LEG OF THE FLT. THE FAA INSPECTOR ON BOARD WAS NAME XX; LAST NAME UNKNOWN AND IS OUT OF THE MSP DISTRICT OFFICE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THE INSPECTOR FILED A RPT AND HE HAS RECEIVED HIS 10 DAY LETTER. HE RESPONDED. HIS FO HAS RECEIVED A SECOND LETTER STATING THE MATTER HAS BEEN SENT TO REGIONAL OFFICE. HE AND FO AGREE THAT THEY WERE TALKING BELOW 10000 FT BUT NO PAX ON BOARD AND SO THEY BECAME A BIT MORE RELAXED THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD HAVE. INSPECTOR THEY SPOKE TO AFTER EVENT SAID THEY WOULD RECEIVE A VIOLATION; A WARNING LETTER OR POSSIBLY NOTHING AT ALL. RPTR'S COMPANY DID ISSUE A MEMO TO ENTIRE PLT GROUP REGARDING THE STERILE COCKPIT PROC AND INDICATED THERE HAD BEEN FAA ACTION AGAINST A CREW. THEY ARE TRYING TO ELIMINATE ANY FUTURE SUCH ACTION.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.