Narrative:

Aircraft was returned to service after work on the radar; GPS; and avionics. The radar was improperly re-installed and blocked the landing gear switch. The squelch switch on comm 1 was also inactivated. On departure; the gear did not retract; and static from the radio was extremely distracting. In addition; the co-pilot's microphone was stuck; and we inadvertently transmitted on approach and center frequencys as well as missing some calls. While we were troubleshooting the landing gear and radio; I'm certain that we contributed to confusion with ATC. We should have taken the aircraft up for a 'shakedown' flight after maintenance; before departing on our trip. Also; we should have returned to ZZZ to resolve the problem instead of continuing the flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane should have been test flown instead of leaving immediately on a trip; but being in a hurry; they departed. The reporter stated some of the discrepancies could have been corrected in-flight; but the radar scope interference with the landing gear switch needed correction at a ground maintenance station. Reporter indicated the airplane was not returned to the repair facility that performed the initial installations; but was diverted to another repair facility for correction. The reporter stated the only good decision that was made this day was not to return to the people that installed the radar; GPS; and avionics. The reporter said there could not have been a final inspection after any item was installed or repaired.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 500 CREW; ON FIRST FLT OUT OF MAINT; EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS MAINT DISCREPANCIES. RADAR INSTALLATION PREVENTED RETRACTION OF LNDG GEAR; SQUELCH SWITCH WAS DEACTIVATED; AND THE FO'S MIC SWITCH WAS STUCK.

Narrative: ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC AFTER WORK ON THE RADAR; GPS; AND AVIONICS. THE RADAR WAS IMPROPERLY RE-INSTALLED AND BLOCKED THE LNDG GEAR SWITCH. THE SQUELCH SWITCH ON COMM 1 WAS ALSO INACTIVATED. ON DEP; THE GEAR DID NOT RETRACT; AND STATIC FROM THE RADIO WAS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING. IN ADDITION; THE CO-PLT'S MIC WAS STUCK; AND WE INADVERTENTLY TRANSMITTED ON APCH AND CTR FREQS AS WELL AS MISSING SOME CALLS. WHILE WE WERE TROUBLESHOOTING THE LNDG GEAR AND RADIO; I'M CERTAIN THAT WE CONTRIBUTED TO CONFUSION WITH ATC. WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE ACFT UP FOR A 'SHAKEDOWN' FLT AFTER MAINT; BEFORE DEPARTING ON OUR TRIP. ALSO; WE SHOULD HAVE RETURNED TO ZZZ TO RESOLVE THE PROB INSTEAD OF CONTINUING THE FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TEST FLOWN INSTEAD OF LEAVING IMMEDIATELY ON A TRIP; BUT BEING IN A HURRY; THEY DEPARTED. THE RPTR STATED SOME OF THE DISCREPANCIES COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED INFLT; BUT THE RADAR SCOPE INTERFERENCE WITH THE LNDG GEAR SWITCH NEEDED CORRECTION AT A GND MAINT STATION. RPTR INDICATED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RETURNED TO THE REPAIR FACILITY THAT PERFORMED THE INITIAL INSTALLATIONS; BUT WAS DIVERTED TO ANOTHER REPAIR FACILITY FOR CORRECTION. THE RPTR STATED THE ONLY GOOD DECISION THAT WAS MADE THIS DAY WAS NOT TO RETURN TO THE PEOPLE THAT INSTALLED THE RADAR; GPS; AND AVIONICS. THE RPTR SAID THERE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A FINAL INSPECTION AFTER ANY ITEM WAS INSTALLED OR REPAIRED.

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.