An small aircraft was operated with a GPS unit installed, but not documented for installation work.

Attributes
ACN	353634
Time
Date	199611
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	353634
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I had finished maintenance on an aircraft and I had told the customer that he could not fly the aircraft if a GPS unit that I had installed the wiring and rack for was actually in the panel and used in-flight. The customer was told to remove the unit from the panel prior to flight, and was instructed on how to do so. Apparently, he did not remove the unit from the rack, and the aircraft was flown anyway. It was my responsibility to tell him that he could not legally use it, which I did. It was his responsibility to make sure the plane was airworthy, and his decision to leave the unit in the aircraft. I suspect I may be under investigation or otherwise in trouble because I trusted the pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA WAS OPERATED WITH A GPS UNIT INSTALLED, BUT NOT DOCUMENTED FOR INSTALLATION WORK.

Narrative: I HAD FINISHED MAINT ON AN ACFT AND I HAD TOLD THE CUSTOMER THAT HE COULD NOT FLY THE ACFT IF A GPS UNIT THAT I HAD INSTALLED THE WIRING AND RACK FOR WAS ACTUALLY IN THE PANEL AND USED INFLT. THE CUSTOMER WAS TOLD TO REMOVE THE UNIT FROM THE PANEL PRIOR TO FLT, AND WAS INSTRUCTED ON HOW TO DO SO. APPARENTLY, HE DID NOT REMOVE THE UNIT FROM THE RACK, AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN ANYWAY. IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL HIM THAT HE COULD NOT LEGALLY USE IT, WHICH I DID. IT WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THE PLANE WAS AIRWORTHY, AND HIS DECISION TO LEAVE THE UNIT IN THE ACFT. I SUSPECT I MAY BE UNDER INVESTIGATION OR OTHERWISE IN TROUBLE BECAUSE I TRUSTED THE PLT.

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.