Eurocopter AS 350/355/EC130 - Astar/Twinstar/Ecureuil
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Inspection Authority; Maintenance Powerplant
Maintenance Lead Technician 20
Workload; Communication Breakdown; Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
Logbook Entry; Human Factors; Company Policy
An electronic news gathering helicopter was due [for] a 100-hour airframe plus several hourly engine inspections. Operations would not take the aircraft out of service due to another news helicopter being unavailable. It was decided to do the 100-hour in a manner that would allow the aircraft to be put back in service within 10 minutes if operations needed it. Upon reviewing the Work Order and Aircraft Status Record; several inspection items were not completed; but on the status record were entered as completed. The work order form was lacking 'Inspector' signatures; the 'Instruction for Continued Airworthiness Inspections' were not signed off; and the Engine 100-hour and 750-hour inspection items were not all completed. The log entry stated all inspections were done. The Engine manufacturer's inspection requires a 100-hour Engine Health Inspection. This was not completed and not signed-off on the inspection form. The aircraft was returned to service without a complete inspection in accordance with the manufacture's recommendations. The aircraft is operated under Part 135 and a log statement requires the aircraft to be maintained In Accordance With (IAW) FAR Part 91.409.F.3.; the manufacturer's recommended inspection program. This was not accomplished. The Repair Station procedures for completing a Work Order and a Return to Service (RTS) log entry were not followed. Consequences: aircraft placed back in service with overdue inspection items.
Reporter stated one of the engines of a twin engine prop aircraft had plowed into one of the two news helicopters on the ramp; resulting in his company's AS-350 Eurocopter's being contracted for use as a dual purpose news gathering helicopter. Five Technicians had been assigned to perform a portion of the 100-Hour Inspection in order to accommodate the on-call demand; whenever the AS-350 was to be needed. Reporter stated he had reviewed the Work Order and Aircraft Status Record the following day as a Quality Assurance (QA) Lead Technician for the 100-Hour and 750-Hour Inspections and noticed the incomplete paperwork; inspections not completed but signed-off; incorrect log entries and the Repair Station procedures for completing a Work Order and a Return to Service (RTS) log entry were not followed. He notified the Director of Maintenance (DOM) about the release of their AS-350 Eurocopter with required maintenance and inspections not completed; but response from his DOM was not supportive of his concerns.
A Quality Assurance (QA) Lead Technician reports about one of their AS-350 Eurocopter's that was placed back in service with overdue Airframe and Powerplant 100-Hour and 700-Hour inspection items not completed. His company operations had contracted with a news gathering organization to provide an AS-350 on short notice. He notified his Director of Maintenance (DOM) about the non-compliance; but the response was not very supportive of his concerns.