Jose wrote:
Handing your certificate to an FAA representative can in no way be
interpreted as surrender.


... but if the FAA representative decides to "hold on to it for a while
while we investigate..." and you are supposed to fly home now, before
the weather closes in, you are effectively grounded.

First off he can't do that. It has, however, happened. The manager of
that FSDO personally returned the certificate to the pilot with the
apologies of the agency. That pilot flew home without the certificate
when the event happened. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same.