Narrative:

On oct mon 1996, I presented a FAA 337 form to abc an aviation safety inspector for a field approval. Per our conversation, abc said he wished to look at the work accomplished on the 337. I then proceeded to try to set up a date, to have abc look at the aircraft, but I failed to reach him, due to his illness. I then spoke to a government agent to set up a date to look at the aircraft. As I was setting up the date, prior to oct 1996, I signed a copy of FAA form 337 which was to be released a week later to the pilot of the aircraft after the approval was given. The pilot picked up the form early and departed with the aircraft prior to me approving the aircraft, and I receiving the approval from the FAA. Due to miscom between me and the pilot, the pilot took and flew the aircraft unapproved. I contacted the FAA in ft lauderdale and told them of the situation. I feel that the lack of communication and the timing of the FAA and my pre-signing of the 337 is what led to this event. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states airplane was a lockheed jetstar and the modification involved the removal of the LORAN navigation system and installing a GPS navigation system. The situation was more involved because the airplane was located in the customer's hangar and the reporter felt that there was no control over the operation of the aircraft. It was later inspected and found airworthy. The FAA did contact the reporter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOCKHEED JETSTAR WAS OPERATED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED FAA INSPECTION FOR REPAIR OR MODIFICATION WORK ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: ON OCT MON 1996, I PRESENTED A FAA 337 FORM TO ABC AN AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR FOR A FIELD APPROVAL. PER OUR CONVERSATION, ABC SAID HE WISHED TO LOOK AT THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED ON THE 337. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TRY TO SET UP A DATE, TO HAVE ABC LOOK AT THE ACFT, BUT I FAILED TO REACH HIM, DUE TO HIS ILLNESS. I THEN SPOKE TO A GOV AGENT TO SET UP A DATE TO LOOK AT THE ACFT. AS I WAS SETTING UP THE DATE, PRIOR TO OCT 1996, I SIGNED A COPY OF FAA FORM 337 WHICH WAS TO BE RELEASED A WK LATER TO THE PLT OF THE ACFT AFTER THE APPROVAL WAS GIVEN. THE PLT PICKED UP THE FORM EARLY AND DEPARTED WITH THE ACFT PRIOR TO ME APPROVING THE ACFT, AND I RECEIVING THE APPROVAL FROM THE FAA. DUE TO MISCOM BTWN ME AND THE PLT, THE PLT TOOK AND FLEW THE ACFT UNAPPROVED. I CONTACTED THE FAA IN FT LAUDERDALE AND TOLD THEM OF THE SIT. I FEEL THAT THE LACK OF COM AND THE TIMING OF THE FAA AND MY PRE-SIGNING OF THE 337 IS WHAT LED TO THIS EVENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES AIRPLANE WAS A LOCKHEED JETSTAR AND THE MODIFICATION INVOLVED THE REMOVAL OF THE LORAN NAV SYS AND INSTALLING A GPS NAV SYS. THE SIT WAS MORE INVOLVED BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED IN THE CUSTOMER'S HANGAR AND THE RPTR FELT THAT THERE WAS NO CTL OVER THE OP OF THE ACFT. IT WAS LATER INSPECTED AND FOUND AIRWORTHY. THE FAA DID CONTACT THE RPTR.

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.