Ramped by 2 airport cops and 2 sheriffs. . .Accused me of a Felony!!!! No Kidding

[LJDRVR]

What I get a sense of, is that you are jealous that people know stuff and you don't.

No, I'm just a stupid airplane driver. At least I know when I'm posting on a subject matter that somebody else is more knowledgeable on than I, an ability you sadly lack. You're just pissed that SKYLAWYER exposed your ignorance.

There are a few experts on this board, but you and I are not one of them.

Cheers,

 

[iflyabeech]

There is another thing you can do. It is likely that there is a police report of the matter with the law enforcement agencies - which is public record and you can obtain a copy.

Most states also have open record or "FOIA" laws. Depending on the specifics of your state FOIA, you may be able to obtain a copy of any record of any public agency pertaining to the matter - for only the asking and reasonable costs of copying. In my state, it must be provided within 24 hours, unless in use or in storage (then they have 72 hours). If they don't, the state Attorney General will take action against them for non-compliance with the FOIA

In my state this includes electronic records and files and dispatch center tape recordings, as well as paper documents and records.

Likely this would be a good source of info as to what was going on and what the actual cause of the action was.

In my state, they can be withheld from FOIA if they are deemed as Law Enforcement records being used in an "active investigation" - if they tell you this in response to the FOIA request, there may be bigger problems brewing.

You don't have to be a lawyer to do this. The premise of FOIA is that any citizen who funds the government should be able to review what the government is doing with the funding.

YMMV depending on your specific state.

Good Luck

I'll look into this.

 

[sky37d]

cool
I'll know what to do next time. I'll tell them FN FAL is my lawyer.

 

[satpak77]

lots of heated debate......

I just started flying a Grumman AA-1B that a non-pilot friend of mine owns. I started taking care of this plane the first of this month. I had to update the registration and get it annualed and elt and transponder checked.
Today I flew it to another Class C airport about 70 miles from here. When I returned to home base, (Class D airport w/tower) the airport police showed up and blocked me off. Two airport cops jumped out and two plainclothes sheriffs officers jumped out and assumed offensive postures. I said whats up guys, and the airport cop said, " Just a routine ramp inspection, I need your pilot cert., medical, and the aircraft registration and airworthiness. I complied and he took them to his vehicle while the others stared at me. I continued putting the Grumman to bed and finally I told the plainclothed sheriff that routine ramp inspections usually involved an FAA inspector, not 4 cops. He said, that actually they had gotten an email from the FAA that I was operating an aircraft with an invalid registration and that it was a 3rd degree felony. Flabbergasted, I told him that I had submitted the registration papers on the April, 6, 2006, (18 days ago) and that the pink copy that I had showed them was good for 90 days! They tallked to someone on the phone and made copies of all my paperwork and let me go. They said they would have arrested me for a class 3 felony. Class 3 felony!!!?!?!?!?! What?

Anyone else have any input?

1) Your local state likely has a law buried under Transportation Statutes that says you must have valid registration on your airplane.

2) Same state likely has laws that define whether it is a felony or misdemeanor to have invalid registration. "Felony" or "Misdemeanor" are levels of punishment for violations of CRIMINAL LAW (written by the states), the FAA in almost all cases in CIVIL or ADMINISTRATIVE LAW, whose punishment (in almost all cases) is a civil monetary penalty or certificate suspension. In some outrageous cases (Valujet oxygen canisters) criminal charges will be sought under Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, however an FAA Inspector will not do that. DOT-OIG and/or the FBI will bring those charges.

Here are some DOT-OIG cases:

http://www.oig.dot.gov/Room?subject=17

2a) FAA Inspectors can only refer cases to DOT-OIG or FBI, by picking up the phone and telling Agent Jones that "hey, look, I think we have some criminal violations here" type thing. However FSDO Inspector Smith has absolutely no criminal law enforcement authority given to him, legally. Do some FAA cases turn into criminal as the investigation develops? Yes. However from a legal standpoint an FAA Inspector cannot go out and beat the bushes looking for criminal investigations by himself.

3) On the federal level, you are required under 61.3 (3)(I) to present your FAA documents "issued under this part" (Part 61) to any law enforcement officer. Read it for exact terminology.

4) On the state level, a statute (likely under your Transportation Code) likely exists empowering state/local law enforcement to ask for aircraft registration and pilots licenses.

So, your "ramp check" was likely 100% within the boundary of the law. Common? No. Legal? Very likely.

 

[iflyabeech]

I am not disagreeing that it was within the law. I think the law should be changed. In no way should an simple error with a registration be a felony. I am trying to call a few folks to see where I can go with this.

 

[Say Again Over]

There are a few experts on this board, but you and I are not one of them.

That was a good one, I'll join club.

 

[FN FAL]

There are a few experts on this board, but you and I are not one of them.

Dude, you might be a good stick with a lear jet, but you aint my daddy and I am the decider of who speaks for me and you aint it.

 

[Hold West]

That was a good one, I'll join club.

The non-experts club? Count me in.


FN FAL: Man, you are the master of the unproductive post.

 

[FN FAL]

The non-experts club? Count me in.


FN FAL: Man, you are the master of the unproductive post.

Whatever, I don't work for you anyway, so production is also what I am the decider of.

 

[Metro752]

how about reproduction