COMMUTER C-402 TEST FLOWN AND FERRIED WITHOUT PROPER AUTH OR LOG BOOK ENTRIES.

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I ABORTED A TKOF AT NANTUCKET ARPT ON RWY 24; DUE TO NOSEWHEEL SHIMMY. I RETURNED TO THE RAMP AND OFF-LOADED ALL PAX. I INSPECTED THE ACFT AND COULD FIND NOTHING LOOSE OR LEAKING IN NOSEWHEEL AREA. I DISCUSSED THE PROB BY PHONE WITH THE CHIEF PLT AND WE CONCLUDED THAT THE WT AND XWIND COULD HAVE SET UP THE NOSEWHEEL SHIMMY IN THE CESSNA 402. THE CHIEF PLT SUGGESTED THAT I TRY A SECOND TKOF EMPTY TO SEE IF THE SHIMMY WAS PRESENT. I TOOK OFF WITHOUT ANY PAX AND HAD NO NOSEWHEEL SHIMMY. UPON REACHING HYANNIS I REQUESTED THAT A MECH MAKE AN INSPECTION OF THE NOSEWHEEL AREA AND THE MECH FOUND THAT THE SHIMMY DAMPENER HAD BEEN LEAKING. HE REBUILT THE DAMPENER AND REQUESTED THAT I WRITE UP THE PROB IN THE LOGBOOK TO NECESSITATE HIM (THE MECH) BEING CALLED IN ON A SUNDAY. A DETAILED INSPECTION BY A MECH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN NANTUCKET AND IF HE HAD FOUND THE DAMPENER TO BE LEAKING; THE PART COULD HAVE BEEN FLOWN IN ON OUR NEXT FLT AND CHANGED AT NANTUCKET. THE ACFT THEN COULD HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO SVC AND ACTUALLY SAVED THE COMPANY MONEY AND ME SOME GRIEF.