N279AH
Registered owner: CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG HOSPITAL AUTHORITY DBA, NC (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
| Operator | Role | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Aviation, LLC (DBCA) | Certificate holder | — | Matched by certificate designator |
Accident & incident history
No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.
Maintenance disclosures
Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA for this airframe. Filing is largely voluntary — the number of reports is not a measure of reliability. To verify a report, search its control number at the FAA SDRS site.
7 reports on file, 2022-01-05 – 2026-08-06.
Part: GEARBOX — CONTAMINATED (ZONE 400) · airframe 3,573 hrs · 3,660 cycles
RT EGINE ROLL BACK ON CLIMB OUT. EMERGENCY DECLARED BY CREW, AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO DEPARTURE AIRPORT (135 MED FLIGHT) PATIENT ALREADY DROPPED OFF, ONLY 2 FLIGHT NURSES AND 2 CREW ON BOARD. ONSITE INVESTIGATION BY HOME BASE MX TEAM FOLLOWING DAY REVEALED EXCESSIVE DEBRIS ON GEARBOX ASSY LOWER CASE CHIP DETECTOR. ENGINE MANUFACTURED HAS ADVISED TO REMOVE ENGINE AND GEARBOX ASSEMBLY IN CASE OF FURTHER CONTAMINATION THE GEARBOX ITSELF.
Part: ANTI-ICE VALVE — FAILED (ZONE 600) · airframe 2,246 hrs · 2,322 cycles
1) CREW RECEIVED AMBER WING ANTI-ICE FAIL AND AMBER WING ANTI-ICE VALVE CLOSED MESSAGES DURING OPERATION IN ICING CONDITIONS 2) CREW RETURNED TO HOME BASE 3) MTN TROUBLESHOT RH ANTI-ICE VALVE 4) MTN DEFERRED PER MEL 30-10-01 5) MTN REMOVED LH & RH WING ANTI-ICE VALVES AND REPLACED WITH UPDATED, REPAIRED UNITS 6) OPS CHECKS GOOD.
Part: TRANSDUCER — FAILED (ZONE 400) · airframe 1,657 hrs · 1,758 cycles
1) DURING DESCENT ON FLIGHT TO ELM CREW RECEIVED RH ENG HIGH OIL NOTICE. 2) CREW PERFORMED ENG INFLIGHT SHUTDOWN ON RH ENGINE. 3) CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED AT ELM. 4) MTN COMPLIED WITH FHDB AND WI DOWNLOADS. 5) MTN REMOVED AND REPLACED RH OIL PRESSURE TRANSDUCER W/ NEW. LEAK CHECK GOOD.
Part: HEATER — FAILED (CABIN) · airframe 817 hrs · 863 cycles
1) CREW NOTED SMOKE IN COCKPIT/CABIN AFTER TAKE OFF. 2) CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO SAT. 3) MTN FOUND RH FWD CABIN ELECTRIC HEATER/FAN PCB BURNED. 4) MTN REPLACED RH FWD CABIN ELECTRIC HEATER ASSY WITH NEW.
Part: NOZZLE — DETACHED (ENGINE) · airframe 572 hrs · 596 cycles
MANUFACTURER INDICATES A FAILED BRAZE WELD ON THE #1 LPT NOZZLE GUIDE VANE WHICH ALLOWED THE NOZZLE TO FLEX AND CONTACT THE #1 LPT DISK. THIS DAMAGED THE DISK SENDING DEBRIS THROUGH THE REST OF THE TURBINE SECTION CAUSING DAMAGE THROUGHOUT. ENGINEERING IS INVESTIGATING IF THE FAILED WELD WAS THE ROOT CAUSE OR THE RESULT OF SOME OTHER FAILURE, POSSIBLY VIBRATION FROM A BEARING. AFTER REPAIR OF ENGINE NOTED FAILED PART WAS A NOZZLE/HEATSHIELD ASSY.
Part: SWITCH — OUT OF ADJUST (LT MLG) · airframe 443 hrs · 469 cycles
1) ON APPROACH WITH GEAR DOWN CREW NOTED "GEAR" ON MFD AND LH GEAR ANNUN FLICKER TO WHITE UNSAFE POSITION FOR A SECOND. IN THE FLARE AFTER RETARDING POWER HEARD AN AUDIBLE GEAR WARNING 2) MTN CHECKS SHOWED NO DEFECTS ON GROUND. 3) MTN PERFORMED CHECKS ON DOWN AND LOCK MICROSWITCHES FOR RIGGING. FOUND LH MLG SWITCH OUT OF RIG. ADJUSTED SWITCH. 4) COMPLIED WITH GEAR SWINGS WITH NO DEFECTS NOTED.
Part: NONE — NONE · airframe 251 hrs · 272 cycles
1) IN FLIGHT CREW NOTED 200 LB IMBALANCE, OBSERVED FUEL LEAKING FROM LH WINGTIP AREA 2)CREW DIVERTED TO BHM 3)LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL 4) STERLING MTN WITH PILATUS TECH SUPPORT DETERMINED THE ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE DURING FUELING CAUSING FUEL TO BE FORCED INTO THE CLIMB VENT LINE. ONCE AIRBORNE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE CAUSED THIS FUEL TO BE SIPHONED OUT UNTIL FUEL LEVEL DROPPED BELOW LEVEL OF VENT OUTLET DURING DESCENT. 5)LEAK CHECK OF SYSTEM REVEALED NO CURRENT LEAKS 6)AIRCRAFT RELEASED TO CLT