PLT OF AN SMT ATX HELI OPERATED ACFT WITH AN UNAUTH TEMPORARY REPAIR TO THE CABIN DOOR AND DID NOT INSTALL REPLACEMENT DOOR PROPERLY; RESULTING IN IT SEPARATING FROM THE ACFT ON A SUBSEQUENT FLT.

Narrative

ACFT WAS OFFSHORE AT EI384. AS CUSTOMER WENT TO GET IN THE ACFT THE L FRONT DOOR WAS CAUGHT BY THE WIND AND SLAMMED AGAINST THE STOP; BREAKING LOWER HINGE FROM THE DOOR. CALLED LAKE CHARLES FOR GUIDANCE. DIRECTOR OF MAINT SAID AS LONG AS IT WAS SECURE; TAPE IT AND FLY IN. I PLACED THE PAX IN THE R REAR SEAT AND FLEW THE ACFT INTO LFT AND DROPPED OFF THE PAX; THEN I FLEW TO NEW IBERIA BASE. HAD MECHS INSPECT. SAID IT WAS OK TO FERRY TO ICY (TO CHANGE OUT WITH ANOTHER ACFT). LCH SAID FLY TO ICY TO CHANGE OUT ACFT WHICH I DID. AT ICY THE BAD DOOR WAS TAKEN OFF BY ME AND PLACED ON THE OTHER ACFT BY ME TO HELP THE MECH CHANGE COMPONENTS. I DO NOT RECALL LATCHING THE INSIDE LOCKING LEVER. THE MECH SIGNED OFF ALL THE COMPONENTS AND I DEPARTED BACK TO NEW IBERIA BASE -- APPROX 5 MINS AFTER TKOF A LOUD 'POP' WAS EXPERIENCED. FOUND DOOR HAD EXITED ACFT. SLOWED AND CIRCLED TO TRY TO FIND DOOR. WAS JUST PAST SUNSET XB07 AT THIS TIME -- XB25 -- COULD NOT SEE DOOR. FLEW TO NEW IBERIA. THIS OCCURRED PROBABLY BECAUSE I DID NOT VERIFY THE LATCH WAS LOCKED AND SHOULD HAVE LET THE MECH DO THE ENTIRE PROC. IT WAS LATE IN THE DAY AND I STILL HAD AN HR AND A HALF TO DRIVE. THE OTHER FACTOR WAS THAT THE ACFT DID NOT HAVE A COMPANY CONTINUANCE OF FERRY OR FERRY PERMIT ON BOARD THE ACFT TO BE FILLED OUT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 257246: DOORS WERE SWAPPED DUE TO LOWER HINGE BEING SEPARATED FROM DOOR ASSEMBLY. I WAS SWAPPING RADIO EQUIP FROM ACFT TO ACFT. PLT SWAPPED DOORS. I DID ALL THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK; BUT DID NOT CHK DOOR INSTALLATION. ACFT LEFT INTERCOASTAL CITY; LA; FOR NEW IBERIA; LA; COMPANY BASE FOR MAINT. ENRTE DOOR DEPARTED ACFT. FACTORS FOR MISHAP WAS PIC IN A HURRY AND RUSHING ME; THE MECH. OTHER FACTORS ARE THAT PLT LEFT A MAINT BASE WHERE REPAIRS COULD HAVE BEEN MADE. FAA IS INVESTIGATING INCIDENT AS OF THIS DATE.