AC68 PLT BYPASSED THE AUX OIL COOLER THAT WAS LEAKING. THE PLT FLEW THE ACFT WITHOUT A FERRY PERMIT OR AN MEL OK.

Narrative

WHILE I WAS ON A TRAINING FLT (MAR/SUN/04) WITH ANOTHER PLT; WE DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK ON THE L ENG OF AN AERO COMMANDER 680 AT DELANO; CA. I DETERMINED THE ACFT TO BE NON-AIRWORTHY; SECURED THE ACFT AND MADE XPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE OTHER PLT AND MYSELF BACK TO BAKERSFIELD. I RETURNED TO DELANO ON MAR/TUE/04 WITH A MECH. IT WAS DETERMINED THE AUX OIL COOLER WAS THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK. I CALLED AND MADE ARRANGEMENT FOR A NEW COOLER TO BE DELIVERED TO THE SHOP IN BAKERSFIELD THINKING WE WOULD AGAIN HAVE TO RETURN TO DELANO TO INSTALL IT. SUBSEQUENTLY; IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THE OIL COOLER WAS ONLY A SMALL AUX ONE; IT WAS A COOL DAY; THE ACFT WAS VERY LIGHT; AND BAKERSFIELD WAS ONLY AN 8 MIN FLT WITH 2 ARPTS N BTWN. I COULD TERMINATE THE FLT VERY QUICKLY IF THERE WERE ANY UNUSUAL INDICATIONS; ESPECIALLY A HIGHER THAN NORMAL OIL TEMP. I ASKED THE MECH IF HE THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO BYPASS THIS COOLER SO I COULD FLY THE ACFT TO BAKERSFIELD FOR FINAL REPAIR. HE THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE AND DID THE BYPASS AS I ASKED. I FLEW THE ACFT TO BAKERSFIELD. OF COURSE; I PAID SPECIAL ATTN TO THE OIL TEMP GAUGES FROM START-UP TO SHUT-DOWN. THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL INDICATIONS OR INCIDENTS. SINCE REFLECTING ON THAT DAY'S EVENTS AND A DISCUSSION WITH A FLT INSTRUCTOR; I HAVE BECOME CONCERNED THAT A FERRY PERMIT MIGHT HAVE BEEN REQUIRED. ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND FERRY PERMIT REGS TO STUDY; IT APPEARS TO ME THAT SINCE THE EQUIP HAD BEEN REMOVED; WE COULD HAVE PLACARDED THE COCKPIT CTL AND RECORDED THE MAINT ACCORDING TO PART 91.215D3I. I WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER. LOOKING BACK; I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH GETTING THE ACFT BACK IN SVC. I WAS ASSISTING WITH TROUBLESHOOTING THE CAUSE OF THE OIL LEAK; ARRANGING TO GET A NEW OIL COOLER DELIVERED; CONSIDERING THE SAFETY OF FLT; AND PLANNING FOR ANY CONTINGENCIES FOR EVERY PHASE OF FLT SHOULD THERE BY ANY UNUSUAL INDICATIONS. I BELIEVE MY PREOCCUPATION FOR GETTING THE ACFT BACK IN SVC COMBINED WITH MY WEAKNESS WITH THE REGS IN THIS AREA OVERSHADOWED CONSIDERATION OF ANY REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. I WILL GIVE PAUSE AND GREATER CONSIDERATION TO POSSIBLE REGS IN THE FUTURE.