HELI FLOWN IFR IN VIOLATION OF MEL LIMITATIONS.

Narrative

ACFT HAD BEEN RESTR FROM IFR FLT DUE TO AN INCORRECT WRITE-UP ABOUT THE AUTOPLT. THE WRITE-UP WAS 'AUTOPLT INOP; NOT TRACKING HDG.' ITEM WAS DEFERRED PER MEL. MY FLT WAS NEXT FLT AFTER WRITE-UP. I REALIZED WRITE-UP WAS NOT CORRECT (AUTOPLT NEED NOT TRACK HDG TO BE FUNCTIONAL). PUT ENTIRE SYS THROUGH A COMPLETE SELF-TEST (AUTOPLT AND EFIS) AND ALL CHKED OUT OK. ON VFR FLT TO XYZ FOR FUEL; I FURTHER FLT-TESTED AND TROUBLE-SHOT SYS. FOUND AUTOPLT TO BE FULLY FUNCTIONAL WITH ONLY HDG BUG SLAVING TO BE SLOW. I ELECTED NOT TO 'CLR' WRITE-UP UNTIL RETURN TO BASE SO THAT MAINT COULD MAKE CORRECT EXAMINATION ENTRIES IN LOGBOOKS. I ACCEPTED IFR FLT TO ZZZ. ON RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL; ACFT FUNCTIONED (SANS AUTOPLT) IMPECCABLY THROUGHOUT FLT. ON ARR BACK AT HOSPITAL; THE LEAD PLT REFUSED TO ALLOW MAINT TO CLR WRITE-UP. HE HAD ABORTED AN IFR FLT TO ZXZ AND HAD MADE THE INCORRECT WRITE-UP IN THE FIRST PLACE AND DID NOT WANT TO ADMIT THAT HE HAD CANCELED A FLT IN ERROR. I SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THE ERRONEOUS WRITE-UP ON MY OWN AND HAD IT CLRED PRIOR TO TAKING THE FLT.