A LOCKHEED JETSTAR WAS OPERATED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED FAA INSPECTION FOR REPAIR OR MODIFICATION WORK ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative

ON OCT MON 1996; I PRESENTED A FAA 337 FORM TO ABC AN AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR FOR A FIELD APPROVAL. PER OUR CONVERSATION; ABC SAID HE WISHED TO LOOK AT THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED ON THE 337. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TRY TO SET UP A DATE; TO HAVE ABC LOOK AT THE ACFT; BUT I FAILED TO REACH HIM; DUE TO HIS ILLNESS. I THEN SPOKE TO A GOV AGENT TO SET UP A DATE TO LOOK AT THE ACFT. AS I WAS SETTING UP THE DATE; PRIOR TO OCT 1996; I SIGNED A COPY OF FAA FORM 337 WHICH WAS TO BE RELEASED A WK LATER TO THE PLT OF THE ACFT AFTER THE APPROVAL WAS GIVEN. THE PLT PICKED UP THE FORM EARLY AND DEPARTED WITH THE ACFT PRIOR TO ME APPROVING THE ACFT; AND I RECEIVING THE APPROVAL FROM THE FAA. DUE TO MISCOM BTWN ME AND THE PLT; THE PLT TOOK AND FLEW THE ACFT UNAPPROVED. I CONTACTED THE FAA IN FT LAUDERDALE AND TOLD THEM OF THE SIT. I FEEL THAT THE LACK OF COM AND THE TIMING OF THE FAA AND MY PRE-SIGNING OF THE 337 IS WHAT LED TO THIS EVENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES AIRPLANE WAS A LOCKHEED JETSTAR AND THE MODIFICATION INVOLVED THE REMOVAL OF THE LORAN NAV SYS AND INSTALLING A GPS NAV SYS. THE SIT WAS MORE INVOLVED BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED IN THE CUSTOMER'S HANGAR AND THE RPTR FELT THAT THERE WAS NO CTL OVER THE OP OF THE ACFT. IT WAS LATER INSPECTED AND FOUND AIRWORTHY. THE FAA DID CONTACT THE RPTR.