A GULFSTREAM II WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITHOUT FAA INSPECTION AFTER MAJOR MODIFICATION ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative

WE DEPARTED ZZZ IN OUR GULFSTREAM II ON MAY/XA/00 AFTER COMPLETION OF A SATCOM SYS INSTALLATION. THE INSTALLATION WAS PERFORMED BY A WELL KNOWN AND RESPECTED REPAIR STATION FBO. THIS REPAIR STATION HAD BEEN AWARE OF OUR SCHEDULED FLT AT LEAST 3 WKS PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION AND WAS DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO MEET OUR DEADLINE. ON THE DAY OF THE DEP THE REPAIR STATION'S TECHNICIANS HAD BEEN FINISHING THE LAST TOUCHES OF THE ACFT. THEY WERE FULLY AWARE OF OUR PREPARATION FOR THE FLT. IN CONVERSATIONS WHICH TOOK PLACE WITH THEM THAT DAY IT WAS INDICATED TO US THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER; AND THE SYS OP WAS PENDING ITS COMMISSIONING WHICH COULD TAKE PLACE AIRBORNE OR ON THE GND AT ANY OF OUR DESTS. IN GOOD FAITH WE DEPARTED SAFELY AND REACHED ALL OUR DESTS UNEVENTFULLY. AFTER OUR ARR IN FLL; I RECEIVED A CALL FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF MAINT; WHO ALSO WAS CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE REPAIR STATION HAD MISLED US IN BELIEVING THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER. AFTER OUR DEP HE REQUESTED ALL THE PAPERWORK; SUCH AS LOGBOOK ENTRIES; ETC; FROM THEM; JUST TO FIND OUT THAT AN IMPORTANT FAA SIGNATURE HAD BEEN MISSING. THE REPAIR STATION THAT WAS AWARE OF THIS DEFICIENCY FAILED TO SPECIFICALLY INFORM US AND DID NOTHING TO INDICATE TO US THE EXISTENCE OF THIS DEFICIENCY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A GULFSTREAM II AND THE MODIFICATION WAS THE INSTALLATION OF A SATCOM SYS. THE RPTR SAID THE CONTRACTOR INSTALLING THE SATCOM SYS WAS AWARE OF A SCHEDULED FLT AND THE JOB WENT TO THE WIRE. THE RPTR SAID THE CONTRACTOR DID NOT SCHEDULE THE FAA INSPECTION PRIOR TO OUR FLT AND WE DEPARTED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED INSPECTION. THE RPTR STATED THE FAA WAS ADVISED OF OUR BEING UNAWARE OF THE REQUIRED INSPECTION AND THE CONTRACTOR'S FAILURE TO SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION. THE RPTR SAID THE FAA WAS NOT GOING TO INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION.