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From: bl@hplabsb.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Declaring an emergency... the ramifications?
Message-ID: <3164@hplabsb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 12-Nov-85 19:56:17 EST
Article-I.D.: hplabsb.3164
Posted: Tue Nov 12 19:56:17 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 14-Nov-85 00:49:46 EST
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Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA
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> Which brings me to a question I've had for a long time...  what are the
> legal ramifications of declaring an emergency?  I realize that it should be
> more important to consider its benefits during difficulty, but, as I can
> attest, one has a considerable reluctance to use that word/condition.  If
> you declare an emergency, will this start the FAA sniffing for reg
> violations?  Are there masses of forms to fill out?  Do they impound the
> plane for an investigation?  If they decide you didn't really have an
> *emergency* is there some sort of action?
> 
> ...
>
> So what about it??? What'll the FAA/FCC do to you afterwards if you call
> "Mayday?"

I can relate a personal experience.  As the wife and I were heading south
to our favorite restaurant for a Sunday afternoon meal, the RPMs in our
C150 started to fluctuate.  First reaction is that it's imagination.
However, after it fluctuated several times we decided to detour to an
airport which was about 20 miles away.  After turning I called on 121.5
and announced "PAN PAN PAN" and gave our number.  Dead silence on the
radio.  Just as I was about to say it again the engine went to idle.  This
time I called "Mayday Mayday Mayday".  The radio squealed as several people
answered.  We finally got in contact with the center controller who found
us on radar and gave us vectors and distance to the airport.  As we neared
the airport, the controller requested that we contact FSS to let them
know that we made it down OK.  We made an uneventful dead stick landing
(We were over the airport at 2000 AGL and pulled the throttle back).  After
a frustrating battle with the telephone and not being able to get through
to a FSS, a local police car showed up.  The police were notified by the
controller who asked that they check on our well being.  We told the officer
that we were OK.  I finally got through to a distant FSS by calling an
800 number.  Other than the police showing up, we had no further contact
from the FAA or FCC, no questions and no forms to fill out.  If you are in
an emergency situation, confess, communicate, climb,  and comply (where
have you heard that before?).  The controllers are there to help.  If
there were no violations of the regs, no property damage, no inflight
fire, and no injury, then there is no reason for FAA hassle.

Foot note: As we were taxiing off the runway, the engine ran OK.  I did
a mag check which was OK and tried a full power run up which worked OK.
We're still not sure what the problem was, but carb ice is the #1 suspect.