A helicopter in ambulance service was operated in non compliance with the required maintenance check...

Attributes
ACN	440660
Time
Date	199906
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	440660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

When I came on duty, I noted that the 'mod 1' inspection was due in 3.7 hours. I accepted a flight which normally would have gotten us back within that period of time. On the final leg of the flight returning to the hangar, dispatch asked if we were available for another flight. I confirmed availability with the crew and calculated being back at the hangar within duty time limits and accepted the flight. We diverted from our in-flight location to the next hospital and transported the patient. Contributing factors: accepting the second flight without returning to the hangar. The tendency for maintenance to try and wait until the inspection is almost due before completing the work. Upon returning to the hangar I realized that I had overflown the 'mod 1' inspection by 2.4 hours.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELI IN AMBULANCE SVC WAS OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIRED MAINT CHK TIME EXCEEDED.

Narrative: WHEN I CAME ON DUTY, I NOTED THAT THE 'MOD 1' INSPECTION WAS DUE IN 3.7 HRS. I ACCEPTED A FLT WHICH NORMALLY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN US BACK WITHIN THAT PERIOD OF TIME. ON THE FINAL LEG OF THE FLT RETURNING TO THE HANGAR, DISPATCH ASKED IF WE WERE AVAILABLE FOR ANOTHER FLT. I CONFIRMED AVAILABILITY WITH THE CREW AND CALCULATED BEING BACK AT THE HANGAR WITHIN DUTY TIME LIMITS AND ACCEPTED THE FLT. WE DIVERTED FROM OUR INFLT LOCATION TO THE NEXT HOSPITAL AND TRANSPORTED THE PATIENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ACCEPTING THE SECOND FLT WITHOUT RETURNING TO THE HANGAR. THE TENDENCY FOR MAINT TO TRY AND WAIT UNTIL THE INSPECTION IS ALMOST DUE BEFORE COMPLETING THE WORK. UPON RETURNING TO THE HANGAR I REALIZED THAT I HAD OVERFLOWN THE 'MOD 1' INSPECTION BY 2.4 HRS.

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.

A helicopter in ambulance service was operated in non compliance with the required maintenance check time exceeded.