A BELL 206B WAS DISPATCHED AND OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A RECURRING AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE NOT ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative

ON OCT/WED/00; I FLEW A BELL 206 JET RANGER TO XXX ARPT FOR AN INSURANCE CHKOUT. DURING THE ORAL EXAMINATION A MECH INSPECTED THE ACFT AND FOUND 2 SETS OF YELLOW 'COOL' TELETEMPS (HEAT SENSITIVE STICKER COLOR CODED BY TEMP TURNS BLACK WHEN TEMP EXCEEDED) HAD TURNED BLACK. THE CHK RIDE WAS TERMINATED AT THAT TIME. I WAS AWARE THAT THE HELI HAD A RECURRING AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE; HOWEVER; THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE CONSISTED OF A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE DRIVE SHAFT. WE WERE TO INSPECT FOR GREASE LEAKAGE; AND SECURITY OF BOLTS AND CLAMPS TO THE DRIVE SHAFT COUPLINGS. I HAD PREVIOUSLY SIGNED OFF THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE THAT MORNING AND FOUND NO HIGH TEMP INDICATIONS. AFTER TERMINATION OF THE CHK RIDE I AGAIN PREFLTED THE ACFT AND MADE THE DECISION TO FLY IT TO ZZZ; UNITED STATES; FOR MAINT. UPON ARR AT ZZZ I LEARNED THAT BLACK TELETEMP INDICATIONS OF ANY KIND CONSTITUTED GROUNDING THE ACFT FOLLOWED BY A 'SHORT SHAFT' INSPECTION. TO MY UNDERSTANDING AT THAT TIME; BOTH THE 'COOL' YELLOW TELETEMPS AND THE 'HOT' RED TELETEMPS HAD TO BE BLACK FOR A GROUNDING TO OCCUR. THE RED TELETEMPS REMAINED WHITE WHILE ONLY THE YELLOW HAD TURNED BLACK. THIS INFLUENCED MY DECISION TO FLY THE ACFT TO ZZZ FOR MAINT. AFTER REVIEW OF THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE I DISCOVERED THAT ANY DISCOLORATION OF THE TEMP INDICATORS MANDATES THAT THE ACFT BE GROUNDED.