Narrative:

On jun/sun/01 and jun/mon/01, I inadvertently flew an aircraft that was unairworthy due to an inspection required by an airworthiness directive not having been done when it was due. The airworthiness directive was for a visual inspection of the upper mast. The inspection was done on jun/tue/01 and the aircraft was returned to service without any repairs or further action being necessary. At our base, the mechanics don't normally come in on wkends unless there is a problem. The pilots flying each aircraft are responsible for ensuring that all scheduled maintenance has been done. We do this by looking in a thick 3-RING binder with all airworthiness directives and service bulletins listed on different sheets. I neglected to look in that 3-RING binder because the mechanic told me friday afternoon that the aircraft should be good for the wkend. I should have realized that we are all fallible and doublechked the 3-RING binder myself. In talking to the mechanics afterwards, I learned that both of them thought about the airworthiness directive on friday, but just never got around to doing the inspection.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MBB-BK 117 HELI WAS FLOWN AND OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE FOR 3 DAYS OVER THE TIME LIMIT FOR AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE INSPECTION.

Narrative: ON JUN/SUN/01 AND JUN/MON/01, I INADVERTENTLY FLEW AN ACFT THAT WAS UNAIRWORTHY DUE TO AN INSPECTION REQUIRED BY AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE NOT HAVING BEEN DONE WHEN IT WAS DUE. THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE WAS FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE UPPER MAST. THE INSPECTION WAS DONE ON JUN/TUE/01 AND THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC WITHOUT ANY REPAIRS OR FURTHER ACTION BEING NECESSARY. AT OUR BASE, THE MECHS DON'T NORMALLY COME IN ON WKENDS UNLESS THERE IS A PROB. THE PLTS FLYING EACH ACFT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT ALL SCHEDULED MAINT HAS BEEN DONE. WE DO THIS BY LOOKING IN A THICK 3-RING BINDER WITH ALL AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES AND SVC BULLETINS LISTED ON DIFFERENT SHEETS. I NEGLECTED TO LOOK IN THAT 3-RING BINDER BECAUSE THE MECH TOLD ME FRIDAY AFTERNOON THAT THE ACFT SHOULD BE GOOD FOR THE WKEND. I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT WE ARE ALL FALLIBLE AND DOUBLECHKED THE 3-RING BINDER MYSELF. IN TALKING TO THE MECHS AFTERWARDS, I LEARNED THAT BOTH OF THEM THOUGHT ABOUT THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ON FRIDAY, BUT JUST NEVER GOT AROUND TO DOING THE INSPECTION.

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.