An atx pilot flew an aircraft with a known maintenance deficiency.

Attributes
ACN	249275
Time
Date	199308
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	249275
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Rudder boost system had malfunctioned and was reported to maintenance (no action taken). Subsequent trip schedule pressures were allowed to countermand the authority/authorized of company command pilot -- the trips were flown. Aircraft was taken to authority/authorized maintenance base on saturday. Repairs were unavailable until the following monday. Command pilot again capitulated to company pressures to continue with scheduled trips. Evaluation: I am a type-rated command qualified pilot in this aircraft on part-time contract with this charter company. I failed to exercise my judgement and authority/authorized to properly ground this aircraft until the system was repaired. At this date, repairs have been effected. Lesson: even if 'second in command,' do not compromise or capitulate to outside pressures. It may be better to be unemployed than dead. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter no longer works for the charter outfit that leased the mdt from the manufacturer. The manufacturer knew that the company was flying the aircraft with the rudder boost out. At the time of this incident, there was no MEL published by the company. Now there is, and aircraft operation with the rudder boost malfunction is not allowed by the MEL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX PLT FLEW AN ACFT WITH A KNOWN MAINT DEFICIENCY.

Narrative: RUDDER BOOST SYS HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS RPTED TO MAINT (NO ACTION TAKEN). SUBSEQUENT TRIP SCHEDULE PRESSURES WERE ALLOWED TO COUNTERMAND THE AUTH OF COMPANY COMMAND PLT -- THE TRIPS WERE FLOWN. ACFT WAS TAKEN TO AUTH MAINT BASE ON SATURDAY. REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. COMMAND PLT AGAIN CAPITULATED TO COMPANY PRESSURES TO CONTINUE WITH SCHEDULED TRIPS. EVALUATION: I AM A TYPE-RATED COMMAND QUALIFIED PLT IN THIS ACFT ON PART-TIME CONTRACT WITH THIS CHARTER COMPANY. I FAILED TO EXERCISE MY JUDGEMENT AND AUTH TO PROPERLY GND THIS ACFT UNTIL THE SYS WAS REPAIRED. AT THIS DATE, REPAIRS HAVE BEEN EFFECTED. LESSON: EVEN IF 'SECOND IN COMMAND,' DO NOT COMPROMISE OR CAPITULATE TO OUTSIDE PRESSURES. IT MAY BE BETTER TO BE UNEMPLOYED THAN DEAD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR NO LONGER WORKS FOR THE CHARTER OUTFIT THAT LEASED THE MDT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER KNEW THAT THE COMPANY WAS FLYING THE ACFT WITH THE RUDDER BOOST OUT. AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT, THERE WAS NO MEL PUBLISHED BY THE COMPANY. NOW THERE IS, AND ACFT OP WITH THE RUDDER BOOST MALFUNCTION IS NOT ALLOWED BY THE MEL.

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.