Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84; site hplabsb.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!pesnta!hplabsb!bl 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 References: <769@bgsuvax.UUCP> <32838@lanl.ARPA> <182@ihnp3.UUCP> <184@ihnp3.UUCP> <359@ssc-vax.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA Lines: 41 > 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.