Narrative:

First officer and I preflted the aircraft; completed the pre-start; start and run-up checklists. The automatic flight control system along with the hydraulic system was checked and a power assurance check was completed. Due to customer requirements a short test flight then completed. Everything checked out; so we taxied to the terminal; loaded our passenger and departed to the oil rig. I landed the helicopter; helped offload the passenger and commenced a walkaround check of the aircraft; looking for leaks or missing panels; feeling for unusual vibrations or anything else out of the ordinary. All this was; as usual; completed while the rotor was still turning. Refueling procedures had started as I came around the port side of the aircraft still looking it over. After feeling the tail boom for vibrations I looked up at the tail rotor and noticed that the gust lock was still attached. I also noticed that the tail rotor was performing normally. We shut down the aircraft; retrieved a ladder and removed the gust lock. I inspected the tail rotor for signs of any damage. There was none; not even a scratch on the paint. I had been flying the aircraft for 8 days prior this and since the vibrations in the tail rotor pedals did not change during the test flight or the flight to the rig as compared to any other day and since the vibrations on the tail boom felt identical to days prior and since the aircraft flew exactly like it had been and since there was no damage seen on the tail rotor; nor did the tail rotor spin in a manner indicating an imbal; I decided to load up the returning passenger and departed. After landing we offloaded the passenger. I explained to the 2 aviation maintenance technicians assigned to the aircraft all that had transpired. After they inspected the tail rotor they said all was fine and that I was good to go on my next flight. Now the tail rotor gear box is being replaced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIKORSKY S61N FLT CREW OPERATES WITH THE GUST LOCK STILL ATTACHED.

Narrative: FO AND I PREFLTED THE ACFT; COMPLETED THE PRE-START; START AND RUN-UP CHKLISTS. THE AUTO FLT CTL SYS ALONG WITH THE HYD SYS WAS CHKED AND A PWR ASSURANCE CHK WAS COMPLETED. DUE TO CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS A SHORT TEST FLT THEN COMPLETED. EVERYTHING CHKED OUT; SO WE TAXIED TO THE TERMINAL; LOADED OUR PAX AND DEPARTED TO THE OIL RIG. I LANDED THE HELI; HELPED OFFLOAD THE PAX AND COMMENCED A WALKAROUND CHK OF THE ACFT; LOOKING FOR LEAKS OR MISSING PANELS; FEELING FOR UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE OUT OF THE ORDINARY. ALL THIS WAS; AS USUAL; COMPLETED WHILE THE ROTOR WAS STILL TURNING. REFUELING PROCS HAD STARTED AS I CAME AROUND THE PORT SIDE OF THE ACFT STILL LOOKING IT OVER. AFTER FEELING THE TAIL BOOM FOR VIBRATIONS I LOOKED UP AT THE TAIL ROTOR AND NOTICED THAT THE GUST LOCK WAS STILL ATTACHED. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY. WE SHUT DOWN THE ACFT; RETRIEVED A LADDER AND REMOVED THE GUST LOCK. I INSPECTED THE TAIL ROTOR FOR SIGNS OF ANY DAMAGE. THERE WAS NONE; NOT EVEN A SCRATCH ON THE PAINT. I HAD BEEN FLYING THE ACFT FOR 8 DAYS PRIOR THIS AND SINCE THE VIBRATIONS IN THE TAIL ROTOR PEDALS DID NOT CHANGE DURING THE TEST FLT OR THE FLT TO THE RIG AS COMPARED TO ANY OTHER DAY AND SINCE THE VIBRATIONS ON THE TAIL BOOM FELT IDENTICAL TO DAYS PRIOR AND SINCE THE ACFT FLEW EXACTLY LIKE IT HAD BEEN AND SINCE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE SEEN ON THE TAIL ROTOR; NOR DID THE TAIL ROTOR SPIN IN A MANNER INDICATING AN IMBAL; I DECIDED TO LOAD UP THE RETURNING PAX AND DEPARTED. AFTER LNDG WE OFFLOADED THE PAX. I EXPLAINED TO THE 2 AVIATION MAINT TECHNICIANS ASSIGNED TO THE ACFT ALL THAT HAD TRANSPIRED. AFTER THEY INSPECTED THE TAIL ROTOR THEY SAID ALL WAS FINE AND THAT I WAS GOOD TO GO ON MY NEXT FLT. NOW THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX IS BEING REPLACED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.