Beechjet 400
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Maintenance Inspector 1; Maintenance Lead Technician 2; Maintenance Technician 22
Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Company Policy; Human Factors
This is very odd but as a Contractor I was Director of Maintenance for FBO X Services. I first noticed that my continued request for access to [the FAA's] Continued Airworthiness Maintenance Program (CAMP) was being ignored. Next I found that I was the only one documenting my work on Non-Routines [write-ups]; [and] then I found some of them in the trash. Now I fear that being denied CAMP access; my [FAA] Airframe/Powerplant License is being used without my knowledge. Safety violations: I continually asked to take aircraft out of service; yet Ownership continued to book customers regardless of the aircraft safety. Also; I feel that the pressure exerted by Ownership on the crew to fly was due to the [flight crew's] fear of being terminated. The following list is what I believe to be grounding situations or unreported emergencies and unreported maintenance:Beechjet 400A: Air Return due to cowling coming off in flight; damaging the Number 1 Engine and Starter Generator. I believe this to be unreported. [FAA] Camps Inspection items pencil whipped. Engine fire bottles Hydrostatic Check; bottles 'Out of Date' by over a year; changed only by my insistence. Number 2 Engine N2 spools to 52% in idle. Undocumented maintenance.Beechjet 400A: Horizontal stabilizer Anti Ice inoperative. Number 1 Engine Anti-Ice inoperative. Engine fire bottles Hydrostatic due dates expired. Multiple inspection items pencil whipped undocumented maintenance. [Aircraft still] in-service and I believe flying customers today. Lear 60: Number 2 Engine Fire Protection will not test. Expired emergency nitrogen bottles; fuel system ability to dissipate a lightning strike due. Main gear wheel assembly Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) compliance undocumented. I believe [aircraft] in service flying customers today. CL-600 Challenger: Undocumented maintenance performed by contractors; Right spoiler inoperative; nose steering inoperative; multiple component change; cockpit MFD units removed; windshields left and right replaced. [Air Driven Generator] ADG disengaged; hydraulic lines removed; pin broken then stowed; then flown on a ferry permit. Many unknown undocumented maintenance actions performed. After finding some of my Non-Routines in the trash; being denied access to aircraft records; and conversations with pilots; it is my opinion that aircraft mentioned above at FBO X Services; should be grounded until [such] a time that Aircraft Records/Inspections and [Logbook] squawks can be complied with. That Ownership be reprimanded for endangering crew and passengers and for intimidating crew to fly and turning a blind eye to the non-recording of maintenance performed and of course by not reporting the air return on the Beech 400A. [Also]; for knowingly sending out unsafe aircraft for one purpose; profit!
Reporter stated he has worked in Heavy Transport and General Aviation for over twenty-two years. After becoming the Director of Maintenance for FBO X Services he began seeing improper maintenance practices that had been going on prior to his arrival and were continuing. When he disagreed to sign items off; because maintenance was required; the General Manager would apply a lot of pressure that he was the Director of Maintenance and should be clearing the write-ups; even though they both knew the sign-offs would be illegal.Reporter stated he knows the difference from right and wrong and became seriously concerned about the release of aircraft that he knew were not repaired. Working twenty-four hour shifts were common. As Director of Maintenance; the continued denial by the General Manager and Owner for access to the company's Aircraft Records and History added to his concerns that sign-offs of aircraft discrepancies were being done using his name and his FAA Airframe/Powerplant license number. He is also concerned about the lack of FAA review of the company's Aircraft Records and Aircraft History. The intimidation factor of Flight and Maintenance personnel by the Owner is constant and many of their aircraft are not safe to fly. He resigned as Director of Maintenance; but is concerned that passengers flying on many of FBO X's aircraft are not safe.
A Director of Maintenance reports his concerns for passenger safety and the airworthiness of company aircraft at their FBO operations. Undocumented maintenance; Non-Routine write-ups found in the trash; FAA Continued Airworthiness Maintenance Program (CAMP) Inspection items pencil-whipped and ongoing intimidation of Maintenance and Flight personnel were also noted.