N309PA

PIPER PA28 No injuries Part 91 — operator not named in the NTSB record

PIPER PA-28-181 No injuries Part 91 — Transpac Aviation Academy

Operated by Transpac Aviation Academy (per NTSB report)

Piper PA-28-181 No injuries Part 91 — operator not named in the NTSB record

ATA 5720

Part: CHANNEL — CRACKED (RT WING) · airframe 19,175 hrs

DURING AN INSPECTION, FOUND THE RIGHT WING LOWER AFT HAT CHANNEL CRACKED

ATA 5720

Part: CHANNEL — CRACKED (RT WING) · airframe 18,785 hrs

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION A CHANNEL IN THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND CRACKED. THE CHANNEL IS THE AFT OF TWO CHANNELS RIVETED TO A SKIN ASSY LOCATED INBOARD ON THE RIGHT WING BETWEEN THE LEADING EDGE AND MAIN SPAR.

ATA 2421

Part: ALTERNATOR — FAILED (ZONE 100) · airframe 18,734 hrs

DURING FLIGHT THE ALTERNATOR LOADMETER WENT TO ZERO AND PILOTS WERE UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER. INSPECTION OF THE ALTERNATOR REVEALED THE SLIP RINGS INSIDE THE ALTERNATORS WERE SO WORN THAT IT BROKE THE BRUSHES; THE BRUSHES THEN FELL INTO THE ALTERNATOR, CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE NEWLY OVERHAULED ALTERNATOR HAD BEEN INSTALLED TWO DAYS PRIOR.

ATA 5340

Part: BRACKET — CRACKED (BS 48) · airframe 18,492 hrs

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, A ZEE SHAPED BRACKET IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE FIREWALL WAS FOUND CRACKED. THIS BRACKET IS INSTALLED ABOVE THE TUNNEL AND IS PART OF THE STRUCTURE SUPPORTING THE RUDDER PEDAL BAR. CRACKING CAN ONLY BE SEEN USING A GOOD FLASHLIGHT AND MIRROR. CRACKING IS THOUGHT TO BE CAUSED BY STRESSES IMPOSED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE RUDDER PEDAL BAR. THIS BRACKET IS SELDOM SEEN TO CRACK DESPITE HIGH OPERATIONAL HOURS.

ATA 5340

Part: BRACKET — CRACKED (FLAP HANDLE) · airframe 18,492 hrs

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, A BRACKET WAS FOUND CRACKED BELOW WHERE THE FLAP HANDLE IS MOUNTED. THE BRACKET IN QUESTION IS LOCATED IN THE TUNNEL IN THE CENTER OF THE CABIN FLOOR AND IS USED TO MOUNT THE FLAP HANDLE ASSY. THE CRACK WAS LOCATED IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF BRACKET THROUGH RIVETS USED TO MOUNT A NUTPLATE. CRACKING IS CAUSED BY STRESSES IMPOSED BY REPEATED USES OF THE FLAP HANDLE WHICH IS BOLTED TO THIS BRACKET. THIS BRACKET USUALLY AVERAGES 1500-2000 HOURS IN SERVICE BEFORE CRACKING APPEARS.

ATA 7414

Part: MAGNETO — UNDERTORQUED (ENGINE) · airframe 18,756 hrs

PILOT REPORTED ENGINE WOULD RANDOMLY LOSE >500 RPM AND THAT ENGINE WAS ROUGH RUNNING. MECHANICS WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THIS ISSUE ON THE GROUND AND DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT MAGNETO CAPACITOR WAS LOOSE IN MAGNETO'S HOUSING. THE MAGNETO HAD BEEN INSTALLED THE PREVIOUS DAY AND HAD ACCRUED 3 HOURS IN SERVICE SINCE 500 HOUR INSPECTION PERFORMED BY OTHER REPAIR STATION.

ATA 5340

Part: BRACKET — CRACKED (ELT) · airframe 17,470 hrs

WHEN THE ELT WAS BEING REMOVED FOR INSPECTION, THE TECH DISCOVERED TWO, TWO INCH CRACKS NEXT TO THE NUTPLATES IN THE ELT MOUNTING BRACKET.

ATA 8530

Part: CYLINDER HEAD — CRACKED (NR 4) · airframe 15,351 hrs

DURING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE'S EXHAUST RISERS, A MECHANIC NOTED THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE NR 4 CYLINDER HEAD THAT BEGAN AT THE EXHAUST STUD AND EXTENDED INWARD TO THE EXHAUST VALVE SEAT. FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE CYLINDER HEAD REVEALED CRACKING TO EITHER SIDE OF THE LOWER SPARK PLUG HOLE. AFTER THE CYLINDER WAS REMOVED, CRACKS WERE SEEN CONNECTING THE LOWER PLUG HOLE AND THE EXHAUST VALVE SEAT. THE CYLINDER WAS NOT DISCOLORED AS THOUGH IT HAD SEEN EXTREME HEAT, NOR DID IT HAVE ANY BROKEN OR BENT FINS OR ANY OTHER DAMAGE THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO A CRACKING.

ATA 8530

Part: CYLINDER — CRACKED (NR 3) · airframe 15,351 hrs

AFTER HEAD CRACKS HAD BEEN FOUND ON ANOTHER CYLINDER INSTALLED ON THIS ACFT ENGINE, MECHANICS DECIDED TO BORESCOPE THE REMAINING 3 ENGINE CYLINDERS AND DISCOVERED CYLINDER NR 2 ALSO HAD CRACKING TO EITHER SIDE OF ITS LOWER SPARK PLUG HOLE. THE CYLINDER WAS NOT DISCOLORED AS THOUGH IT HAD SEEN EXTREME HEAT, NOR DID IT HAVE ANY BROKEN OR BENT FINS OR ANY OTHER DAMAGE THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO A CRACKING.