AN AIR AMBULANCE PLT FELT IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE FLOWN AN UNAIRWORTHY ACFT DUE TO COMPANY PRESSURES.

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I JUST PIECED TOGETHER THE STORY OF WHY ONE OF OUR PLTS (AIR AMBULANCE) WALKED OFF THE JOB RECENTLY. HE FOUND A FUEL LEAK DURING PREFLT AND WROTE IT UP. APPARENTLY HE WAS HARASSED; RELENTLESSLY; FOR GNDING THE ONLY AVAILABLE AIR AMBULANCE ACFT. THE COMPANY'S HARASSMENT MADE THIS PLT ANGRY ENOUGH TO GO TO THE FAA AND THE ARPT SECURITY. PICTURES AND INTERVIEWS FOLLOWED. IT TURNED INTO A BIG DEAL. I DO FEEL THIS PLT WAS JUSTIFIED; BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT I MAY BE ACCUSED OF HAVING FLOWN AN UNAIRWORTHY ACFT. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE FUEL LEAK. THE LAST TIME THAT I FLEW THIS AIRPLANE; IT HAD ALREADY BEEN PULLED WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT. I PREFLTED AND POSTFLTED WITHOUT FINDING ANY DISCREPANCIES. I DID FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS ACFT BECAUSE THE L ENG WAS SOON TO BE DUE FOR AN OVERHAUL AND HAD PASSED THAT INFO ON DURING SHIFT BRIEFINGS. I HAVE FLOWN FOR THIS COMPANY FOR ALMOST 3 YRS AND HAVE OFTEN BEEN INTERROGATED OVER WRITE-UPS. A 'CULTURE' OF ACCEPTING A LOWER STANDARD OF AIRWORTHINESS HAD SET IN WITH SOME OF THE PLTS. AFTER I HEARD (1 1/2 WKS LATER) WHAT HAD HAPPENED; I RESIGNED AND HAVE MOVED ON TO A BETTER JOB!