N159RP
Registered owner: HEADINGS NORMAN D, IL (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
No operator established for this aircraft.
Accident & incident history
No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.
Maintenance disclosures
RT MAGNETO HAD EXCESSIVE DROP AFTER STARTUP. TRIED CLEARING ENG AND FOUND ENGINE DIED ON THAT MAG. FOUND MAGNETO DISTRIBUTOR GEAR HAD 13 TEETH MISSING (ALL PIECES RECOVERED FROM THE MAG). REASSEMBLED WITH NEW PART. PILOT FLEW ABOUT AN HOUR NO PROBLEMS. NEXT MORNING LT MAG FAILED. FOUND 5 TEETH MISSING (ALL PIECES RECOVERED FROM THE MAG.) BOTH STARTS WERE IN AM WITH AN OVERNIGHT TEMP DOWN TO ABOUT 20 DEG F. POSSIBLE ROTORCRAFT HARMONICS MAY CAUSE THE NYLON GEAR TO HAVE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF GREASE FROM THE 500 HR INSP. CONFIRMED MAG GEAR HOLDING TOOL (SOMETIMES USED DURING STABBING MAG TO ENGINE) WAS NOT USED OR NOT A CAUSE SINCE THE DAMAGED TEETH CLOCK ANGLE WAS NOT NEAR THE (WINDOW) TIMING TEETH.
WHILE PERFORMING INSPECTION FOR AD 98-06-12, FOUND LATERAL TRIM SPRING ASSY PULLED COMPLETELY OUT OF MOUNTING BLOCK AND DANGLING AGAINST BELLY SKIN. TRIM MOTOR ARM P/N C581-1 FROZEN ON SPRING SHAFT. SUBMITTER STATED HAD THIS UNIT FAILED IN-FLIGHT, LOSS OF CONTROL WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. THE REPLACEMENT SPRING ASSY LOWER BEARING IS STAKED INTO THE MOUNTING BLOCK, YET THIS IS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE AD. SUBMITTER RECOMMENDED REVISION OF AD 98-04-12 TO REQUIRE IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT OF AFFECTED SPRING ASSY REGARDLESS OF SHAFT WEAR.
DRAIN TUBE OPENING IS LOCATED INSIDE AIRFRAME IN TRANSMISSION AREA. WHEN SUMP DRAIN VALVE LEAKS, FUEL DRAINS INTO AND ACCUMULATES AT JUNCTION OF FIREWALLS CREATING EXTREME FIRE HAZARD. SUBMITTER RECOMMENDS REVISING THE SUMP DRAIN PLUMBING ALA R22 SYSTEM TO PROVIDE POSITIVE OVERBOARD VENTING OF FUEL IN THE EVENT OF DRAIN VALVE SEEPAGE. REF: R44 IPC FIG 8-5, ITEMS 8 AND 10.