A DHC-8 FLT CREW IS CHIDED AND WRITTEN UP BY AN ACI FOR NOT ENTERING A FUNCTIONING FUEL VALVE LIGHT INTO THE LOGBOOK PRIOR TO MAINT PERSONNEL ATTEMPTING A FIX AT DCA; DC.

Narrative

THE #1 ENG 'FUEL VALVE OPEN' ADVISORY LIGHT BULB WAS NOT WORKING. WHILE I WAS AWAY FROM ACFT; A MECH; WHO WAS SUMMONED BY MY FO CAME AND FIXED THE LIGHT BY SIMPLY MOVING THE PANEL THAT THE LIGHT IS MOUNTED IN; HE FIXED THE LIGHT. I HAD MADE NO WRITE-UP IN THE MAINT LOG; AND NEITHER DID HE. AN FAA INSPECTOR; WHO WAS LISTENING IN ON OUR COMPANY RADIO AND HEARD MY FO'S CALL; CAME OUT TO INSPECT AFTER I HAD RETURNED FROM BUYING BREAKFAST. THE INSPECTOR SAID THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A MAINT WRITE-UP. HE ALSO SAID HE HAD CONTACTED OUR PMI; AND THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AS WELL. LATER THAT DAY; I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO THE MECH. WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE LIGHT CAME ON FROM MERELY 'JARRING' THE PANEL; I TOO COULD SEE THAT NO 'MAINT' HAD BEEN PERFORMED -- NO WRITE-UP NECESSARY. PERHAPS THE FAA INSPECTORS AREN'T AWARE THAT OUR ACFT CARRY; AS STANDARD EQUIP; A FULL VARIETY OF LIGHT BULBS AS WELL AS MANY OTHER PARTS/SPARES THAT PLTS (AS WELL AS MECHS) ARE AUTH (AND EXPECTED) TO USE. EACH ORIGINATING ACFT HAS THE PLTS OPENING ACCESS PANELS; RE-SETTING CIRCUIT BREAKERS; WITHOUT ANY WRITE-UP. WE ARE EXPECTED TO CLB LADDERS AND MECHANICALLY 'DIP' FUEL TANKS (WHEN FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES ARE INOP). WE ARE TO HAND PUMP HYD PARKING BREAK PRESSURE UP TO MINIMUM LEVELS; WHEN NECESSARY (THIS INVOLVES OPENING LNDG GEAR/DOORS AND USING A SPECIAL STOWED AND SECURED HAND PUMP TOOL) WITH NO WRITE-UP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 595460: WE NOTICED A LIGHT BULB HAD BURNED OUT INFLT ON OUR RTE FROM RDU TO DCA. ON THE IN-RANGE CALL; WE REQUESTED MAINT. HE CAME OUT TO THE PLANE WHEN WE LANDED. THE CAPT WENT INSIDE; SO WHEN MAINT CAME ON I SHOWED HIM THE LIGHT BULB THAT WAS NOT WORKING. I WENT TO THE RESTROOM; AND WHEN I CAME OUT; MAINT WAS LEAVING. HE SAID THAT HE DID NOT REPLACE THE BULB THAT HE TOUCHED THE PANEL; AND THE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN HE LEFT. I THOUGHT THAT THE CAPT HAD WROTE THE PROB UP AND MAINT SIGNED IT OFF. THE MIN HE LEFT; THE FAA CAME ON BOARD AND ASKED TO SEE THE PAPERWORK; BECAUSE HE HEARD WE CALLED FOR MAINT.