PLT OF A CPR CESSNA TURBOPROP CORSAIR C425 TOOK OFF AND FLEW TO HIS HOME MAINT BASE WHEN THE EMER LNDG GEAR NITROGEN BLOW DOWN BOTTLE WAS EMPTY WITHOUT BENEFIT OF A FERRY PERMIT. THE FBO MECH WHO HAD JUST WORKED ON THE ACFT ADVISED HIM THAT HE WOULD NEED A FERRY PERMIT. IN ADDITION; AFTER HIS FLT THE FAA ALSO SAID THAT HE DID AND ISSUED A LETTER OF RECORD TO HIS AIRMEN'S FILE COVERING THIS INCIDENT.

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ON SEP/XA/98 I FLEW TO JONESBORO; AK; TO PICK UP A C425 THAT HAD LANDED THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY BY ANOTHER PLT. THE PLT DECLARED AN EMER BEING THAT HE HAD A HYD FLOW PROB AND WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. WORK WAS DONE ON THE PLANE BY FBO. FBO DID NOT SIGN A RETURN TO SVC BECAUSE THE NITROGEN BLOW DOWN BOTTLE WAS NOT YET CHARGED. HE EXPLAINED THAT I 'MIGHT' NEED A FERRY PERMIT TO BE LEGAL. I CALLED THE FAA OFFICE IN LITTLE ROCK AT XA47 TO OBTAIN A FERRY PERMIT. THE SECRETARY TOLD ME THAT 'ALL' OF THE FAA PEOPLE HAD LEFT AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE BACK BEFORE XC00 OR SHORTLY AFTER. AFTER A GOOD DISCUSSION WITH FBO ABOUT THE 'SAFETY OF THE FLT' I MADE THE DECISION TO FLY THE ACFT TO ALTON; IL; WITH THE LNDG GEAR DOWN. I DID SO SHORTLY AFTER XB00 ON SEP/XA/98. I CONTACTED CTR AND OBTAINED FLT FOLLOWING ALL THE WAY TO MY DEST. MY PRIMARY GOAL WAS TO DELIVER AN ACFT SAFELY TO THE DEST FOR REPAIR. I WAS BEING FOLLOWED BY A SINGLE ENG C210 THAT WAS TO GIVE ME A RIDE HOME FROM ALTON; IL. I DID NOT WANT TO FLY OVER THE ARKANSAS MOUNTAINS AT NIGHT IN A SINGLE ENG AIRPLANE; AND I REALLY DID NOT BELIEVE THAT A FERRY PERMIT WAS REQUIRED FOR THE FLT. TO ME IT WAS LIKE FLYING AN AIRPLANE WITH NO FREON IN THE AIR CONDITIONER. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PLT TO DETERMINE THE SAFETY OF FLT; AND THIS; ALONG WITH THE DESIRE TO FLY A SINGLE ENG ACFT OVER THE MOUNTAINS DURING THE DAYLIGHT HRS; LED TO MY DECISION TO FLY THE ACFT. IN NO WAY WAS SAFETY COMPROMISED; AND TO THIS DATE; I AM NOT SURE WHETHER A PERMIT WAS REQUIRED FOR THE FLT. RULES LIKE THESE ARE GRAY IN NATURE; AND IT IS DIFFICULT FOR PLTS LIKE MYSELF TO INTERP THEM. I MIGHT/SHOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL THE FAA REPRESENTATIVES GOT BACK AND OBTAIN A FERRY PERMIT VIA FAX FOR THE FLT. THIS WOULD HAVE MOST CERTAINLY AVOIDED ANY CONTROVERSY. MY DESIRE TO NOT FLY SINGLE ENG ACFT AT NIGHT OVER MOUNTAINS WAS A GOOD DECISION; BUT I COULD HAVE SPENT THE NIGHT IN ALTON IF NECESSARY. I WISH THAT OUR LAWS WERE SUCH THAT IF A CITIZEN ACTS IN A 'SAFE AND MORAL' MANNER; THAT THE LAWS WOULD BE ON HIS OR HER SIDE; BUT I AM FINDING THAT NOT TO BE TRUE AT ALL TIMES. I DO APPRECIATE THIS NASA PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR PLTS; AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANY OF THE DETAILS IF YOU DESIRE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE FAA DID INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER AND AS A RESULT DID ISSUE A LETTER OF RECORD IN HIS AIRMEN'S FILE FOR NOT HAVING A FERRY PERMIT ON THIS FLT. THE LETTER WILL BE PURGED FROM HIS FILE IN 2 YRS.