Does Airport Manager get involved with incident?

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Had an incident yesterday involving a tailwheel aircraft that nosed over upon landing and had a prop strike. Owner voluntarily moved it when fire and police dept arrived on scene. No injuries but he claims he doesn’t want to report it. Does the airport manager need to call the FSDO and report it if the owner doesn’t want to?
 
"Need" is a funny word....

A different question is "is the Airport Manager '''''obligated''''' to report this incident to the FSDO"
 
Had an incident yesterday involving a tailwheel aircraft that nosed over upon landing and had a prop strike. Owner voluntarily moved it when fire and police dept arrived on scene. No injuries but he claims he doesn’t want to report it. Does the airport manager need to call the FSDO and report it if the owner doesn’t want to?
Has the manager read NTSB 830? Does it qualify?
 
"Need" is a funny word....

A different question is "is the Airport Manager '''''obligated''''' to report this incident to the FSDO"
Obligated would be the best word. Suppose I just need to know if this is all the owner’s responsibility or if the airport manager needs to get involved and report it if the owner doesn’t.
 
It doesn’t sound like an accident that needs to be reported.

However, if it closed the runway I am unsure if the airport manager has to make a report to the FAA about the reason for the runway closure. I once had a nose wheel go flat when I landed and I wasn’t able to get the plane off the runway. The FBO came out and towed me off the runway. I would estimate that the runway was closed for 15-20 minutes and traffic was just moved to the airport’s other runway. A few days later I received a call from the FSDO asking me about the incident. Obviously someone reported it to the FAA, quite possibly ATC since my incident was at a towered airport. After I told them that I had a flat tire when I landed they were satisfied, it was no big deal.
 
Damage to landing gear and prop only does not count toward the dollar threshold for reportable incidents.
 
I would guess that his insurance requires him report any incidents beyond a certain severity level because they might result in the airport and the insurance company being drawn into a dispute.
 
Has the manager read NTSB 830? Does it qualify?
What part of 830 requires an airport manager to do anything? The onus is purely on the aircraft operator and the crew.

The airport manager's number routes to my phone (we technically don't have a manager, but I'm on the board). Sometimes, the FAA is friendly about inquiring about the status when they hear we've had an incident, and sometimes they're a real pain in the butt. There's nothing (despite their assertions) that bars us from moving aircraft that hasn't resulted in an 830-reportable accident/incident, and even then, nothing says you can't clear it off the runway. It just says you have to preserve it and take pictures ,etc...
 
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Will the Airport Manager get "involved"? Well the incident did impact the operations of the airport they are responsible for. Do they have a requirement to report it to the FAA? Not normally. The only time I have ever made that call to the FAA/NTSB was in a clearly fatal accident in order to get the NTSB rolling. Hopefully never have to do that again.
 
The police will surely report it to the FAA.
Highly doubt it. 99.99% of law enforcement know.0001% about aviation. Nobody got hurt, happened at airport, manager knows about it. Forget about it!
 
The police in the backwater podunk town I crashed in reported it to the Faa. I’m fairly certain any local cops would report to the Faa about any aircraft accident they took a report on, even if not necessary within Faa regs.
 
No, the airport manager does not need to report an incident.

I know someone who bellied in their retract gear plane, the airport manager did call the wrecker and filed an airport notam to close the field, but nothing to the FAA.
 
Some state and local jurisdictions have their own separate aviation laws and policies which may require it. Same goes for other entities like airports, public agencies, etc.
 
The time I had an engine failure (and made it back to the runway) flying young eagles, the airport manager called the police, fire, and FAA, as well as stealing a gallon of fuel from my plane for "testing purposes" (though it was clear this wasn't a fuel problem). The only person who DID NOT respond was the FAA. Some ultralighter killed himself two counties over and since mine wasn't really a reportable accident and nobody was injured, they didn't care. The mechanics moved the plane into my tie down while I dealt with the police and the field was opened again.

I avoid calling the FAA on my field. Sometimes, they find out about it anyhow. I got a call while I was at Oshkosh first from the local TRACON asking about the gear up on my field. Told him I was standing in Oshkosh at the time, but I would check it out. Turns out an MU-2 on a flight plan had done so. Nice thing about bullying in an MU-2 is it does minimal damage. By the time I got a hold of someone back home (who wasn't at Oshkosh) a bunch of neighbors had got the thing back on it's wheels and pulled off the runway. The next call was from the FSDO and they weren't as kind (especially when they heard the plane was moved). I told them there wasn't much I could do from 700 miles away.

Of course, there was the time a plane didn't run off the runway, didn't go down the embankment, didn't end up in the yard across the street. A bunch of folks didn't pick it up and put it on a trailer and didn't push it into the owner's hangar. I didn't get a call from the FAA on that one (though my wife did in her role as president of the HOA).
 
The time I had an engine failure (and made it back to the runway) flying young eagles, the airport manager called the police, fire, and FAA, as well as stealing a gallon of fuel from my plane for "testing purposes" (though it was clear this wasn't a fuel problem). The only person who DID NOT respond was the FAA. Some ultralighter killed himself two counties over and since mine wasn't really a reportable accident and nobody was injured, they didn't care. The mechanics moved the plane into my tie down while I dealt with the police and the field was opened again.

I avoid calling the FAA on my field. Sometimes, they find out about it anyhow. I got a call while I was at Oshkosh first from the local TRACON asking about the gear up on my field. Told him I was standing in Oshkosh at the time, but I would check it out. Turns out an MU-2 on a flight plan had done so. Nice thing about bullying in an MU-2 is it does minimal damage. By the time I got a hold of someone back home (who wasn't at Oshkosh) a bunch of neighbors had got the thing back on it's wheels and pulled off the runway. The next call was from the FSDO and they weren't as kind (especially when they heard the plane was moved). I told them there wasn't much I could do from 700 miles away.

Of course, there was the time a plane didn't run off the runway, didn't go down the embankment, didn't end up in the yard across the street. A bunch of folks didn't pick it up and put it on a trailer and didn't push it into the owner's hangar. I didn't get a call from the FAA on that one (though my wife did in her role as president of the HOA).
Does that mean you actually did get a call and your wife actually didn’t?
 
When I dead-sticked a Skycatcher into Reid-Hillview, I don't know who, if anyone, was notified, but no one showed up other than an airport employee, who asked if I needed assistance and then did a FOD check while I was pushing it off the runway.
 
as well as stealing a gallon of fuel from my plane for "testing purposes" (though it was clear this wasn't a fuel problem).
It’s standard practice and is required for the airport authorities to gather a sample from their fuel tanks.

On second read, I see you’re describing the fuel tanks from your own airplane, I was referring to the airport fueling station tank(s). My apologies.
 
If that’s all that happened no report NEEDED to be made

However

Of the airport managers I have met, it is a job that attracts the proverbial “Karen”

Best bet would have been to just move the plane back to the hangar ASAP, but once the donut shop and airport manager showed up, they probably filed reports on each other’s reports, it’s just their nature

Trying to tell them that they don’t have to report something is like trying to deal with a small child who just keeps responding “why?”
 
Doesn’t matter, that’s standard practice and is required.
It's not required. The airport manager had no authority to do so and had not been delegated to do so nor was there any indication that I had purchased fuel from them.
 
Does that mean you actually did get a call and your wife actually didn’t?
Wife was HOA president. When a resident has an issue, she got called. My number is on file with the FAA (and shows up in the master record). I typically get calls from the FAA, HSA, and random real estate attorneys looking for closing information. The only amusing thing with the latter is that it was one of our other residents who called me (both her and her husband are attorneys).
 
It's not required. The airport manager had no authority to do so and had not been delegated to do so nor was there any indication that I had purchased fuel from them.
Part of what’s required after an accident or incident that either involved an aircraft on-field or one that had previously departed, is sampling and testing fuel.

Our fuel supplier requires us to quarantine our fueling stations until we run through a series of tests to verify and document that our fuel is within spec and contaminate free. They also provide a steel can to collect a sample for submittal. Only after the tests are completed and reviewed can we release fuel for use again. I’ve gone through this twice in the last 4 months. This is all assuming the airport authority follows standard protocols, which if they’re wise, they will.

That airport manager absolutely had the authority to do what he did.
 
Wife was HOA president. When a resident has an issue, she got called. My number is on file with the FAA (and shows up in the master record). I typically get calls from the FAA, HSA, and random real estate attorneys looking for closing information. The only amusing thing with the latter is that it was one of our other residents who called me (both her and her husband are attorneys).
I was being sarcastic as the rest of your paragraph was meant to actually mean the opposite of what you said.
 
Wife was HOA president. When a resident has an issue, she got called. My number is on file with the FAA (and shows up in the master record). I typically get calls from the FAA, HSA, and random real estate attorneys looking for closing information. The only amusing thing with the latter is that it was one of our other residents who called me (both her and her husband are attorneys).
NC26 is also privately owned and for private use, so a different rule set is applicable vs. what’s SOP at a public use airport.
 
NC26 is also privately owned and for private use, so a different rule set is applicable vs. what’s SOP at a public use airport.
About the only difference as far as the FAA is concerned is that they won't process NOTAMs for private use. (Private ownership is *NOT* a consideration).
 
NC26 is also privately owned and for private use, so a different rule set is applicable vs. what’s SOP at a public use airport.

What some city employee decides to make his “SOP” doesn’t change the NTSB/FAA rules


My SOP is to never pay retail, works till it doesn’t
 
About the only difference as far as the FAA is concerned is that they won't process NOTAMs for private use. (Private ownership is *NOT* a consideration).
There are far more differences than that, especially from a funding standpoint and the requirements to accept such, which I’m not sure you’re terribly familiar with.
 
What some city employee decides to make his “SOP” doesn’t change the NTSB/FAA rules
I suggest familiarizing yourself with 8020.11D as well as the list of requirements when receiving various types of non-local funding. What’s your experience with airport management?
 
You didn't say federally funded. You said private-vs-public owned and access.
 
I suggest familiarizing yourself with 8020.11D as well as the list of requirements when receiving various types of non-local funding. What’s your experience with airport management?

Got one fired once if that counts

So where does it say some city employee airport manager has to report a simple tailwheel prop strike?

https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/media/order/faa_order_8020.11d.pdf

What GS level is a yocal airport manager?


Audience.
This order is intended for all FAA personnel that are assigned to lead or support
activities associated with aircraft accident and incident notification, investigation, and reporting.
 
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I had a bearing freeze up on my twin ,causing. A blown nose wheel tire. The manager who wasn’t on the field reported it as a gear up landing. Never talked to me or the tower. I found out when I went to sell the airplane and got the report of a gear up landing. He has finally retired.
 
Law enforcement officers forward info on aircraft mishaps to the FAA because they are very aware that they know little to nothing about aviation, especially regulations, and should let the proper agency handle it. It’s along the same lines as a city police officer notifying Customs & Border Protection of a possible illegal alien (he doesn’t have the training and federal authority to properly investigate and enforce that law) or a highway patrol officer calling for the sheriff’s office to complete the investigation on a domestic violence assault that he rolled up on. Too many different areas of law and expertise for any particular agency to do it all.
 
Law enforcement officers forward info on aircraft mishaps to the FAA because they are very aware that they know little to nothing about aviation, especially regulations, and should let the proper agency handle it. It’s along the same lines as a city police officer notifying Customs & Border Protection of a possible illegal alien (he doesn’t have the training and federal authority to properly investigate and enforce that law) or a highway patrol officer calling for the sheriff’s office to complete the investigation on a domestic violence assault that he rolled up on. Too many different areas of law and expertise for any particular agency to do it all.
I agree with your last line. However, in 20 years in law enforcement I can tell ya you can’t make blanket statements concerning what different agencies will do. On field, just bent metal, in Maine law enforcement seldom responds. Off field yes. Injury and definitely death, but bent props? Average cop is gonna look at it and say, “too bad. Bet that costs a few hundred huh!” In our academy there was zero training on aircraft mishaps. Now maybe your state is different. I can promise you one thing. All cops hate paperwork. Happy to show up to see something different, but will avoid anything causing report writing like it was seven kinds of STDs.
 
I agree with your last line. However, in 20 years in law enforcement I can tell ya you can’t make blanket statements concerning what different agencies will do. On field, just bent metal, in Maine law enforcement seldom responds. Off field yes. Injury and definitely death, but bent props? Average cop is gonna look at it and say, “too bad. Bet that costs a few hundred huh!” In our academy there was zero training on aircraft mishaps. Now maybe your state is different. I can promise you one thing. All cops hate paperwork. Happy to show up to see something different, but will avoid anything causing report writing like it was seven kinds of STDs.

I had 29 years on the job. My agency only responded to off-airport incidents, and the PD where the airport was responded if there was an injury or actual crash.

Yep, we all hate paper! But there’s often that sergeant out there who doesn’t have to write it and directs you to pull a case number.
 
Yep, we all hate paper!
Unfortunately, not all hate the paperwork. There are a few states out there that "empower" state and local agencies to investigate aircraft accidents if they so choose. And the federal side doesn't prevent it. It made for some interesting reading on several occasions.
 
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