RPTR ALLEGEDLY FLEW WITH FLAP INDICATOR MALFUNCTION.

Narrative

I AM A PART 135 SINGLE PLT OPERATOR. BEING CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING MY 6 MONTH IFR CHK RIDE ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF MY GRACE MONTH AND BEING IGNORED BY MY POI FOR SCHEDULING THE CHK RIDE AT THE HILLSBORO; OR; FSDO; DESPITE WRITTEN ADVANCE NOTICE AND NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS TO HIM; I DECIDED TO FLY TO HILLSBORO (200 NM) FROM MEDFORD TO CONVINCE FAA TO GIVE ME THE IFR CHK RIDE THAT DAY. BEFORE MY DEP ON THE MORNING OF 2 WED 94; I RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM A FRIEND (ANOTHER 135 OPERATOR) TO TAKE 3 PAX TO SALEM AND BACK; FOR HIM. I AGREED TO THIS REQUEST; AS I WAS GOING IN THAT DIRECTION ANYWAY. AND; DUE TO THE FACT THAT MY FRIEND HAD DONE MANY UNCOMPENSATED FAVORS FOR ME IN THE PAST; I DECIDED TO TAKE HIS PAX FOR NO COMPENSATION WHATSOEVER. AFTER DROPPING OFF THE PAX IN SALEM; OR; I THEN WENT TO HILLSBORO ARPT TO TAKE MY 135 CHK RIDE. IN THE FIRST 5 MINS OF MY 135 CHK RIDE I EXPERIENCED A RADIO FAILURE AND A MODE C FAILURE; WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO MY FAILURE TO PROPERLY EXECUTE A REQUIRED TURN TO A HOLDING PATTERN ENTRY. THE EXAMINER ON BOARD FAILED ME AT THAT POINT AND TOLD ME TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. UPON THE RETURN; THE EXAMINER NOTICED THAT MY FLAP INDICATOR LEVEL APPEARED TO BE STUCK IN A 10 DEGS INDICATION; DESPITE THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE FLAPS THEMSELVES. THE EXAMINER SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD GET THE INDICATOR LEVER REPAIRED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BEFORE DEPARTING FOR SALEM; I MANAGED TO FREE THE INDICATOR AND AFTER 2 CYCLES OF THE FLAPS; THE LEVER WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE; HOWEVER; I DECIDED NOT TO USE THE FLAPS UNTIL I WAS ON THE GND AT SALEM. AT SALEM; I TRIED THE FLAPS AGAIN AND THE INDICATOR DID AGAIN STICK AT THE 10 DEGS MARK. I THEN ASKED A MECH TO TAKE A LOOK. HE DID SO AND SAID THE INDICATOR BAR WAS CATCHING ON A NEARBY CABLE. THE MECH THEN TWISTED SOMETHING WITH A PAIR OF PLIERS AND SAID THAT ALL WAS OK NOW; AND THE FLAPS WERE SAFE TO USE. I THEN BOARDED THE 3 ORIGINAL PAX AND RETURNED THEM TO THE NORTH BEND ARPT. THEN I RETURNED TO MEDFORD. BEFORE ANY OTHER FLTS; I HAD MY REGULAR MECH INSPECT THE OP OF THE FLAP LEVER AGAIN; AND CERTIFY THAT THEY WERE SAFE. I AM BEING ACCUSED BY THE FAA OF 2 POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS: OPERATING THE ACFT WITH A KNOWN MALFUNCTION FLAP LEVER INDICATOR; AND CARRYING PAX FOR COMPENSATION AFTER FAILING A 135 IFR CHK RIDE. MY OPS REGARDING THE FLAP INDICATOR WERE DESCRIBED ABOVE; AND I MAINTAIN THAT THE FLAPS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY AND SAFELY BEFORE TKOF FROM HILLSBORO AND SALEM. AS FAR AS PART 135 PAX WERE CONCERNED; I CONDUCTED THE ENTIRE FLT UNCOMPENSATED; AND UNDER PART 91 RULES AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED. I HAD NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE PAX WOULD EVER BE CHARGED FOR THIS FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE FEELS HE IS BEING HARASSED BY THE FEDS. HE MADE SURE FLAP INDICATOR -- AND IT WAS ONLY THE INDICATOR; THE FLAPS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY -- WAS OPERATING PROPERLY BEFORE DEP AT BOTH ARPTS. HE HAD RECEIVED HELP FROM AOPA WITH AN ATTORNEY; HAS SUBMITTED A LETTER FROM HIS MECH AND NOW FEELS THE INVESTIGATION WILL PROCEED NO FURTHER. HE NEVER RECEIVED ANY COMPENSATION FOR THE PAX OR HIMSELF; AND FEELS HE VIOLATED NO REGS.