Declaring an emergency (or not)

Okay, I should have said "a diversion triggers a report" instead of paperwork. That's what the inspector told me as I recall. I just assumed the report had to be written, my bad.
 
azure said:
Incorrect. A diversion triggers paperwork. Paperwork triggers followup from an FAA inspector at least some of the time. Whether that's technically "an investigation", depends on your definition and on how things play out. In my case, it apparently stopped short of an investigation, but there was a phone call, and a line of questioning that was clearly intended to probe my PIC decisions prior to taking off again, not whether my actions led to a low fuel emergency.
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Diversions only generate paperwork if they are suspicious.
 
Henning said:
Diversions only generate paperwork if they are suspicious.
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I doubt that my fuel gauge issue was "suspicious", but there was paperwork -- for the inspector, that is. Denny even pointed me to the form they have to fill out to close the case.
 
azure said:
Incorrect. A diversion triggers paperwork. Paperwork triggers followup from an FAA inspector at least some of the time. Whether that's technically "an investigation", depends on your definition and on how things play out. In my case, it apparently stopped short of an investigation, but there was a phone call, and a line of questioning that was clearly intended to probe my PIC decisions prior to taking off again, not whether my actions led to a low fuel emergency.
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Wrong. I have had two emergencies where I landed at an airport other than my destination (that's a diversion, right?). Never even got a "call this number" or a visit by an ops inspector. Both were mechanicals, though...not something that could be foreseen like a low fuel state.

Bob Gardner
 
bobmrg said:
Wrong. I have had two emergencies where I landed at an airport other than my destination (that's a diversion, right?). Never even got a "call this number" or a visit by an ops inspector. Both were mechanicals, though...not something that could be foreseen like a low fuel state.

Bob Gardner
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How long ago? My case was earlier this year.

edit: where did you get the idea that my diversion was for a "low fuel state"?? The inspector, when he called, treated it as a mechanical to begin with, then started probing my preflight actions.

Just to be clear: the "preflight actions" I'm talking about were before taking off again from the airport diverted to, not before the flight that ended with the diversion.
 
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I've diverted many times, domestically and abroad. I have never had anyone question my decision or the actions taken, nor have I ever been asked to complete a report on the diversion for any government agency, FAA or otherwise. The closest might be company paperwork.

A diversion is not a big deal, and does not open an investigation. It doesn't bring you under condemnation. On one occasion, I received a safety award for the diversion.

I've diverted due to fuel, weather, company requirements, airports under rocket and mortar attacks, mechanical issues, a passenger with a heart attack, fires, passenger requests, airport closures, and other reasons, without incident and without any concern regarding undue attention from the FAA or other organizations with oversight of that particular flight operation. Its not a big deal. If you need to divert, then do so, and don't think twice about it.
 
I think we need to clarify paperwork and when a diversion is reported. An IFR diversion in the U.S. is reported by ATC to two different agencies. As far as paperwork some facilities right it up on a log. That's the extent of paperwork. We as pilots don't have any paperwork involved. You might get notified by the FAA but I seriously doubt it. Like I said earlier my brother said this has only been in effect at his facility for about 3 yrs. If you diverted sometime before then, you probably weren't reported.
 
Velocity173 said:
I think we need to clarify paperwork and when a diversion is reported. An IFR diversion in the U.S. is reported by ATC to two different agencies. As far as paperwork some facilities right it up on a log. That's the extent of paperwork. We as pilots don't have any paperwork involved. You might get notified by the FAA but I seriously doubt it. Like I said earlier my brother said this has only been in effect at his facility for about 3 yrs. If you diverted sometime before then, you probably weren't reported.
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What two different agencies?
 
Fun -- I guess someone was busy the night I diverted 3 times.
 
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