Helicopter
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Rotorcraft
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 8450; Flight Crew Type 5600
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Aircraft; Procedure
Our helicopter's annual expired the last day of Month. The closest maintenance facility was closed for flights due to the COVID pandemic. On [date] we requested a special flight permit (SFP) to the FAA for a ferry flight to be conducted 5 days later. This was the first time I have done this type of application. The FAA takes time to process these applications and I became anxious; thinking the owner would not like [it] if we continued to delay the helicopter's maintenance. So; I made the decision to continue the flight 5 days later; although the SFP was pending. I let a non-existent external pressure influence my decision to conduct the ferry flight. The helicopter was in perfect condition; but I realized that it was a mistake and should have waited for the FAA SFP response to conduct the flight. I believe more training on CRM and aeronautical decision making and FAR knowledge will help me deter these types of situations in the future.
Pilot reported being under pressure and flew a ferry flight without proper documentation.