Commuter pilot flew an unauthorized test flight without a qualified first officer.

Attributes
ACN	182845
Time
Date	199105
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : wrl
State Reference	WY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ftw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	182845
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As captain of the aircraft I was preparing to run up the aircraft prior to daily scheduled flight. FSS employee wanted to situation in cockpit and observe. We taxied to far end of runway to make less noise for nearest public houses to the airport. While performing the systems check I found that the automatic feather would not ground test. I thought it might be the 90% switch so I decided to fly the aircraft around the pattern once to see if the automatic feather light would come on with the power setting greater than 90%. Following rotation I climbed at about a 30 degree angle to 1000' AGL and made a left crosswind to enter a standard left traffic pattern. At 1000' I pulled the power back and made a normal landing. The problem which I did not think of at the time is that my license does not allow piloting this aircraft west/O a multi engine rated first officer. No problems were encountered during the flight but it has been brought to my attention that the flight was not legal, even though nothing occurred. Now that I realize the mistake I have no intention of abusing my privilege to fly in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER PLT FLEW AN UNAUTH TEST FLT WITHOUT A QUALIFIED FO.

Narrative: AS CAPT OF THE ACFT I WAS PREPARING TO RUN UP THE ACFT PRIOR TO DAILY SCHEDULED FLT. FSS EMPLOYEE WANTED TO SIT IN COCKPIT AND OBSERVE. WE TAXIED TO FAR END OF RWY TO MAKE LESS NOISE FOR NEAREST PUBLIC HOUSES TO THE ARPT. WHILE PERFORMING THE SYSTEMS CHK I FOUND THAT THE AUTO FEATHER WOULD NOT GND TEST. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE 90% SWITCH SO I DECIDED TO FLY THE ACFT AROUND THE PATTERN ONCE TO SEE IF THE AUTO FEATHER LIGHT WOULD COME ON WITH THE PWR SETTING GREATER THAN 90%. FOLLOWING ROTATION I CLBED AT ABOUT A 30 DEG ANGLE TO 1000' AGL AND MADE A LEFT XWIND TO ENTER A STANDARD LEFT TFC PATTERN. AT 1000' I PULLED THE PWR BACK AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG. THE PROB WHICH I DID NOT THINK OF AT THE TIME IS THAT MY LICENSE DOES NOT ALLOW PILOTING THIS ACFT W/O A MULTI ENG RATED F/O. NO PROBS WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE FLT BUT IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT THE FLT WAS NOT LEGAL, EVEN THOUGH NOTHING OCCURRED. NOW THAT I REALIZE THE MISTAKE I HAVE NO INTENTION OF ABUSING MY PRIVILEGE TO FLY IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.