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

[iflyabeech]

We occasionally get law enforcement alerts on stolen aircraft; there are other mechanisms for flagging suspicious aircraft that I will not discuss here.

If we suspect, or someone reports to us a potential crime involving an aircraft, we won't e-mail the police (how the heck do you e-mail the police, anyway?), we'll make a phone call to the appropriate authority. Most situations involving illegal operations (not FAR busts but crime like stolen aircraft or flying drunk) are covered under state law.

For example, the famous drunken Northwest crew from 15 years ago or so were arrested under state law. In Minnesota, by operating an aircraft, you have given consent to any law officer to test your breath, urine or blood for alcohol under this statute. Actually flying drunk is a gross misdemeanor under this statute.

Once in my career I was involved in a report of a pilot drinking and flying. We called the state police who met the pilot on his arrival at an airport in Michigan. I've got no idea what happened after that; we're not cops, we're controllers.

FYI:
I just got off the phone with a guy in our contract tower and he knew nothing of this incident and was quite surprised.

 

[N5139]

My guess is that some local airport bum looked up your N-number using google (for example, google the plane my family owned as a kid - N51393) and saw the "YOUR AIRCRAFT MAY NOT BE AIRWORTHY" screen. He then notified locals wanting to be supercop. Of course this is all speculation.

J.

 

[Hold West]

In my H.Opinion, I don't think the sheriffs have the authority to do a routine ramp search, that is my FAA boys juristiction.

Ah, but they can - under Minnesota law (just 'cause I have it up in front of me):

Subd. 4. Exhibiting license, permit, or certificate.
The federal license, certificate, or permit, and the evidence of
registration in this or another state, if any, required for an
airman shall be kept in the personal possession of the airman
when operating within this state and must be presented for
inspection upon the demand of any passenger, any peace officer
of this state, or the commissioner, the commissioner's
assistant, or any employee of the department, or any official,
manager, or person in charge of any airport in this state upon
which the airman shall land, or upon the reasonable request of
any other person. The federal aircraft license, certificate, or
permit, and the evidence of registration in this or another
state, if any, required for aircraft must be carried in every
aircraft operating in this state at all times and must be
conspicuously posted therein where it may readily be seen by
passengers or inspectors and must be presented for inspection
upon the demand of any passenger, any peace officer of this
state, the commissioner, the commissioner's assistant, or any
employee of the department, or any official, manager, or person
in charge of any airport in this state upon which it shall land,
or upon the reasonable request of any person. Show me your papers, comrade!

 

[BoilerPilot]

Possible answer...

Effective February 1...The FAA was supposed to start cracking down on inappropriate registrations. If for some reason the registration on this airplane was "questionable" (e.g. The owner didn't return a mailer, etc...) there is a possibility that this could be a start of the crackdown. I know this was a big problem at the registration office and there is no real way to track an owner down after they have moved if they don't file a change of address. Just my two cents on the subject.

 

[iflyabeech]

Effective February 1...The FAA was supposed to start cracking down on inappropriate registrations. If for some reason the registration on this airplane was "questionable" (e.g. The owner didn't return a mailer, etc...) there is a possibility that this could be a start of the crackdown. I know this was a big problem at the registration office and there is no real way to track an owner down after they have moved if they don't file a change of address. Just my two cents on the subject.

this is exactly why I made sure that the registration was updated before I flew it. I did what I was supposed to and was still "detained" for 30 mins or so.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Tonight on COOOOPS....... felony airport shakeDOWN!!!!!!!!!

 

[charter dog]

I remember reading a blurb a few months ago about how the FAA was going to "crack down" on owners of aircraft without a properly current registration by "possible denial" of air traffic control services to these aircraft. I remember wondering how they planned to implement this idea. Maybe the ground controller is supposed run your number against the list and say "Sorry 123AB, but your taxi clearance is denied." But this story sounds like something else was going on. I hope you find the answer.

Best,

 

[iflyabeech]

I also forgot to mention that the cops asked if I had a "Bill of Sale" I think they were talking to someone on the phone who told them to ask me this. I told them that a bill of sale was not required to be onboard and that I did not have one.

 

[SKYLAWYER]

Hold west is dead on in his analysis of the authorities of peace officers regarding FAA certificates. Since FAA certificates are federal issue documents most police officers, federal agents, and high ranking municipality officials have access to ask you for them. Some such as police officers can request them under the authority of thier badges, other such as municipality officials can gain access to them through petition of the FAA. (Even though it is called a petition the FAA usually does not have the authority to say no, unless release of the records could cause due harm to a ongoing investigation, such as a plane crash) Several years ago a pilot in HPN refused to show the local police his certification when requested. (It was during a routine traffic stop involving a subsequent DUI arrest. The arresting officer noticed a pilot bag in the defendants trunk and being a private pilot himself requested to see the individuals FAA certification. The defendant refused siting that his pilot certification had nothing to due with a DUI stop. The NTSB later suspended this individuals certification for 1 year for refusal to present the certification to a peace officer upon request. I can email you a copy of the law file (72pgs) if you are interested in taking a look at the case. Regarding how exactly you were red flagged I would have to blame the airport you flew to. Give the operations people a call and ask for a N-Number check. When billing landing fees operations personell are usually working a computer (Compuland system) that once your tail number is entered will give them registration information including the billing address of the owner so that you may be billed for landing fees, and the airport may keep track of landings for the purpose of earning Airport improvement money. If the compuland system in use was not updated (which very often is not) this may have red flagged you. Depending on the amount of time you were on the ground usually operations personell will drive down to get your correct information. The Operations personell may have been a little trigger happy on this one and contacted the FAA when your tail number came back with an expired registration. You should not have any other problems with this because your Pink slip should close the case. If it does not, PM me and I will give you the number to the FAA administrative law judge in your FSDO so that you can close the case before if becomes a pain in the A$$. Hope this helps, Goodluck!!!

 

[iflyabeech]

Hold west is dead on in his analysis of the authorities of peace officers regarding FAA certificates. Since FAA certificates are federal issue documents most police officers, federal agents, and high ranking municipality officials have access to ask you for them. Some such as police officers can request them under the authority of thier badges, other such as municipality officials can gain access to them through petition of the FAA. (Even though it is called a petition the FAA usually does not have the authority to say no, unless release of the records could cause due harm to a ongoing investigation, such as a plane crash) Several years ago a pilot in HPN refused to show the local police his certification when requested. (It was during a routine traffic stop involving a subsequent DUI arrest. The arresting officer noticed a pilot bag in the defendants trunk and being a private pilot himself requested to see the individuals FAA certification. The defendant refused siting that his pilot certification had nothing to due with a DUI stop. The NTSB later suspended this individuals certification for 1 year for refusal to present the certification to a peace officer upon request. I can email you a copy of the law file (72pgs) if you are interested in taking a look at the case. Regarding how exactly you were red flagged I would have to blame the airport you flew to. Give the operations people a call and ask for a N-Number check. When billing landing fees operations personell are usually working a computer (Compuland system) that once your tail number is entered will give them registration information including the billing address of the owner so that you may be billed for landing fees, and the airport may keep track of landings for the purpose of earning Airport improvement money. If the compuland system in use was not updated (which very often is not) this may have red flagged you. Depending on the amount of time you were on the ground usually operations personell will drive down to get your correct information. The Operations personell may have been a little trigger happy on this one and contacted the FAA when your tail number came back with an expired registration. You should not have any other problems with this because your Pink slip should close the case. If it does not, PM me and I will give you the number to the FAA administrative law judge in your FSDO so that you can close the case before if becomes a pain in the A$$. Hope this helps, Goodluck!!!

Thanks, there are no ramp fees at either airport that I was at. . . I think it is a closed case but I do not like them making copies of my documents and certificates.

I would not show my pilot certificate or medical to anyone if the request was not aviation related. They will have to fight me on that one. . .Those certificates are my career and I do not like anyone messing with them. Especially when I obey the law.