Narrative:

A prearranged scheduling of an equipped helicopter for broadcasting a national sports bicycle race was changed two weeks before the event. I was tasked with configuring another aircraft to accomplish the same job. This required constructing an aluminum 'mission box' that could be secured in the aft cabin. The mission box required a 24 to 12 volts dc (vdc) converter; a RF transmitter; RF amplifier; dual UHF coms; a selectable audio panel; an interconnect solutions (ics) [cannon plug] connection to the aircrafts audio system and dual impedence converters to allow the UHF radios to be compatible with the audio panel. Dual UHF antennes had to be installed on the aircrafts lower fuselage and a RF transmitting antenna on the upper cabin exterior. A supplemental type certificated (stc) camera mount and camera system were installed to provide the video source. In may; one day before the scheduled departure; I was informed by management that the aircraft needed to leave in two hours. The mission box was not complete and not secured at this point. I was in the process of testing the UHF coms when I was notified. I informed management it was scheduled to be completed the next day and was not finished. Management insisted I secure the box and it would leave immediately. Holes were drilled through the cabin floor floor and army/navy (an) hardware was used to secure the box. I informed the pilot that the work was not completed and there was no [FAA major repair and alterations form] 337 completed at this time. He did not care and just wanted to leave to be onsite for an afternoon meeting. A log entry was created with a form 337 detailing the stcd equipment only and the pilot / management was informed of such. The aircraft departed.results: poor planning by management and pressure to get an aircraft back in service without work completion resulted in a return to service (rts) [aircraft] without proper maintenance documentation and project completion. Repair station procedures were not followed and the part 135 operations manual section concerning return to service (rts) were not complied with.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Quality Assurance Inspector reports a company helicopter departed with a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) not complied with; resulting in a Return to Service (RTS) of their AS350 Eurocopter without proper maintenance documentation or project completion and Part 135 Operations Manual and Repair Station procedures not being followed. Management had insisted the aircraft depart even with an incomplete STC and FAA Form 337.

Narrative: A prearranged scheduling of an equipped helicopter for broadcasting a national sports bicycle race was changed two weeks before the event. I was tasked with configuring another aircraft to accomplish the same job. This required constructing an aluminum 'mission box' that could be secured in the aft cabin. The mission box required a 24 to 12 Volts DC (Vdc) converter; a RF transmitter; RF amplifier; dual UHF coms; a selectable audio panel; an Interconnect Solutions (ICS) [Cannon plug] connection to the aircrafts audio system and dual impedence converters to allow the UHF radios to be compatible with the audio panel. Dual UHF antennes had to be installed on the aircrafts lower fuselage and a RF transmitting antenna on the upper cabin exterior. A Supplemental Type Certificated (STC) camera mount and camera system were installed to provide the video source. In May; one day before the scheduled departure; I was informed by management that the aircraft needed to leave in two hours. The mission box was not complete and not secured at this point. I was in the process of testing the UHF coms when I was notified. I informed management it was scheduled to be completed the next day and was not finished. Management insisted I secure the box and it would leave immediately. Holes were drilled through the cabin floor floor and Army/Navy (AN) hardware was used to secure the box. I informed the pilot that the work was not completed and there was no [FAA Major Repair and Alterations Form] 337 completed at this time. He did not care and just wanted to leave to be onsite for an afternoon meeting. A Log entry was created with a Form 337 detailing the STCd equipment only and the pilot / management was informed of such. The aircraft departed.Results: Poor planning by management and pressure to get an aircraft back in service without work completion resulted in a Return to Service (RTS) [aircraft] without proper maintenance documentation and project completion. Repair Station procedures were not followed and the Part 135 Operations manual section concerning Return to Service (RTS) were not complied with.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.