Narrative:

Aircraft had been restr from IFR flight due to an incorrect write-up about the autoplt. The write-up was 'autoplt inoperative, not tracking heading.' item was deferred per MEL. My flight was next flight after write-up. I realized write-up was not correct (autoplt need not track heading to be functional). Put entire system through a complete self-test (autoplt and EFIS) and all checked out ok. On VFR flight to xyz for fuel, I further flight-tested and trouble-shot system. Found autoplt to be fully functional with only heading bug slaving to be slow. I elected not to 'clear' write-up until return to base so that maintenance could make correct examination entries in logbooks. I accepted IFR flight to ZZZ. On return to the hospital, aircraft functioned (sans autoplt) impeccably throughout flight. On arrival back at hospital, the lead pilot refused to allow maintenance to clear write-up. He had aborted an IFR flight to zxz and had made the incorrect write-up in the first place and did not want to admit that he had canceled a flight in error. I should have addressed the erroneous write-up on my own and had it cleared prior to taking the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI FLOWN IFR IN VIOLATION OF MEL LIMITATIONS.

Narrative: ACFT HAD BEEN RESTR FROM IFR FLT DUE TO AN INCORRECT WRITE-UP ABOUT THE AUTOPLT. THE WRITE-UP WAS 'AUTOPLT INOP, NOT TRACKING HDG.' ITEM WAS DEFERRED PER MEL. MY FLT WAS NEXT FLT AFTER WRITE-UP. I REALIZED WRITE-UP WAS NOT CORRECT (AUTOPLT NEED NOT TRACK HDG TO BE FUNCTIONAL). PUT ENTIRE SYS THROUGH A COMPLETE SELF-TEST (AUTOPLT AND EFIS) AND ALL CHKED OUT OK. ON VFR FLT TO XYZ FOR FUEL, I FURTHER FLT-TESTED AND TROUBLE-SHOT SYS. FOUND AUTOPLT TO BE FULLY FUNCTIONAL WITH ONLY HDG BUG SLAVING TO BE SLOW. I ELECTED NOT TO 'CLR' WRITE-UP UNTIL RETURN TO BASE SO THAT MAINT COULD MAKE CORRECT EXAMINATION ENTRIES IN LOGBOOKS. I ACCEPTED IFR FLT TO ZZZ. ON RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL, ACFT FUNCTIONED (SANS AUTOPLT) IMPECCABLY THROUGHOUT FLT. ON ARR BACK AT HOSPITAL, THE LEAD PLT REFUSED TO ALLOW MAINT TO CLR WRITE-UP. HE HAD ABORTED AN IFR FLT TO ZXZ AND HAD MADE THE INCORRECT WRITE-UP IN THE FIRST PLACE AND DID NOT WANT TO ADMIT THAT HE HAD CANCELED A FLT IN ERROR. I SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THE ERRONEOUS WRITE-UP ON MY OWN AND HAD IT CLRED PRIOR TO TAKING THE FLT.

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.