Narrative:

As a commercial pilot I am responsible and required to ensure that my aircraft complies with all inspection and regulation requirements. I have on several occasions failed in this responsibility. Unfortunately, I trusted the word of my employer, also a pilot, with more time and experience then I, when he told me certain items were not required for legal flight. Fortunately, I did keep looking in the regulations and found for certain that this aircraft was being maintained illegally and hence being illegally operated. Unfortunately, I flew the aircraft 11 times august through october 1991. However, I reported this condition on 11/mon/91 to the FAA and that date refused to fly this aircraft. This was an inoperative cht gauge. I believe my employer did in fact know this was illegal. I believe my initial lack of confidence and the need to be absolutely certain of my facts made me hesitant at first to do the right thing in refusing to fly this aircraft. I felt that refusing to fly this aircraft would cause me to lose my job. Also, I was initially wanting to help my employer in every way and give them the benefit of the doubt. I was wrong. Eventually, I became sure of my facts of myself, and of my responsibility. I will not fly an illegal aircraft again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR FLEW ACFT NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS OK TO FLY WITH INOP CYLINDER HEAD GAUGE.

Narrative: AS A COMMERCIAL PLT I AM RESPONSIBLE AND REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT MY ACFT COMPLIES WITH ALL INSPECTION AND REG REQUIREMENTS. I HAVE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FAILED IN THIS RESPONSIBILITY. UNFORTUNATELY, I TRUSTED THE WORD OF MY EMPLOYER, ALSO A PLT, WITH MORE TIME AND EXPERIENCE THEN I, WHEN HE TOLD ME CERTAIN ITEMS WERE NOT REQUIRED FOR LEGAL FLT. FORTUNATELY, I DID KEEP LOOKING IN THE REGS AND FOUND FOR CERTAIN THAT THIS ACFT WAS BEING MAINTAINED ILLEGALLY AND HENCE BEING ILLEGALLY OPERATED. UNFORTUNATELY, I FLEW THE ACFT 11 TIMES AUGUST THROUGH OCTOBER 1991. HOWEVER, I RPTED THIS CONDITION ON 11/MON/91 TO THE FAA AND THAT DATE REFUSED TO FLY THIS ACFT. THIS WAS AN INOP CHT GAUGE. I BELIEVE MY EMPLOYER DID IN FACT KNOW THIS WAS ILLEGAL. I BELIEVE MY INITIAL LACK OF CONFIDENCE AND THE NEED TO BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN OF MY FACTS MADE ME HESITANT AT FIRST TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN REFUSING TO FLY THIS ACFT. I FELT THAT REFUSING TO FLY THIS ACFT WOULD CAUSE ME TO LOSE MY JOB. ALSO, I WAS INITIALLY WANTING TO HELP MY EMPLOYER IN EVERY WAY AND GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. I WAS WRONG. EVENTUALLY, I BECAME SURE OF MY FACTS OF MYSELF, AND OF MY RESPONSIBILITY. I WILL NOT FLY AN ILLEGAL ACFT AGAIN.

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.