Narrative:

After starting both engines, we repositioned to FBO at teb and discovered that the itt (inter-turbine temperature) gauge was malfunctioning and remained stuck at 400 degrees after initial shutdown. The captain called the company in stl and informed them of the problem. One of the owners asked him to make the flight to roc and return with the gauge. Not wanting to lose my job, in violation of required equipment regulations, FARS, I flew as the copilot. I have heard that the company operates in violation of far's if necessity dictates, including pressuring the pilots to violate rest rules (10 hours in 24 hours). Pilots who complain are often discharged. From conversations with many other pilots, this appears to be an industry-wide problem. Blacklisting of troublemaking pilots exists commonly in the industry. I flew for commuter Y, where it was commonplace to overload the aircraft in order to carry enough fuel, and not to limit passenger carrying capability. The allentown FSDO, which supposedly supervised commuter Y, was known to have a 'working' relationship with company and members from alpa found out about several incidents of bribery which occurred. If a violation is brought to light, companies will naturally claim innocence and claim that the pilots acted on their own.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER FLEW AS FO FOR COMMUTER ACR IN VIOLATION OF MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST REQUIREMENT. SAYS FEAR OF BEING FIRED HAS CAUSED MANY PLTS AND OR FLT CREWS TO OPERATE FOR COMMUTERS OUTSIDE FEDERAL AVIATION REGS.

Narrative: AFTER STARTING BOTH ENGS, WE REPOSITIONED TO FBO AT TEB AND DISCOVERED THAT THE ITT (INTER-TURBINE TEMP) GAUGE WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND REMAINED STUCK AT 400 DEGS AFTER INITIAL SHUTDOWN. THE CAPT CALLED THE COMPANY IN STL AND INFORMED THEM OF THE PROB. ONE OF THE OWNERS ASKED HIM TO MAKE THE FLT TO ROC AND RETURN WITH THE GAUGE. NOT WANTING TO LOSE MY JOB, IN VIOLATION OF REQUIRED EQUIP REGS, FARS, I FLEW AS THE COPLT. I HAVE HEARD THAT THE COMPANY OPERATES IN VIOLATION OF FAR'S IF NECESSITY DICTATES, INCLUDING PRESSURING THE PLTS TO VIOLATE REST RULES (10 HRS IN 24 HRS). PLTS WHO COMPLAIN ARE OFTEN DISCHARGED. FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY OTHER PLTS, THIS APPEARS TO BE AN INDUSTRY-WIDE PROB. BLACKLISTING OF TROUBLEMAKING PLTS EXISTS COMMONLY IN THE INDUSTRY. I FLEW FOR COMMUTER Y, WHERE IT WAS COMMONPLACE TO OVERLOAD THE ACFT IN ORDER TO CARRY ENOUGH FUEL, AND NOT TO LIMIT PAX CARRYING CAPABILITY. THE ALLENTOWN FSDO, WHICH SUPPOSEDLY SUPERVISED COMMUTER Y, WAS KNOWN TO HAVE A 'WORKING' RELATIONSHIP WITH COMPANY AND MEMBERS FROM ALPA FOUND OUT ABOUT SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF BRIBERY WHICH OCCURRED. IF A VIOLATION IS BROUGHT TO LIGHT, COMPANIES WILL NATURALLY CLAIM INNOCENCE AND CLAIM THAT THE PLTS ACTED ON THEIR OWN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.