N329PA

Part: FRAME — CRACKED (FUSELAGE) · airframe 20,402 hrs

DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, A FUSELAGE FRAME THAT ACTS AS THE FORWARD WING ATTACH STRUCTURE WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED/BROKEN AT THE UPPER RIGHT END. BROKEN AREA IS IN THE UPPERMOST RIVET TO EDGE OF MATERIAL. CRACK MAY ONLY BE SEEN BY REMOVING THE SIDE PANEL, DISPLACING INSULATION, AND USING A MIRROR TO SEE UNDER THE ADJACENT CHANNEL. INITIALLY THIS STATION COULD NOT SPECULATE WHAT HAS DIRECTLY CAUSED THIS CRACKING, HOWEVER WE NOW BELIEVE THIS CRACKING IS RELATED TO FORCES IMPOSED ON THE CABIN DOOR MOUNTING STRUCTURE, WHICH IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO CRACKED AREA.

Part: DOOR FRAME — CRACKED (FUSELAGE) · airframe 20,402 hrs

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, A COMPONENT THAT FORMS THE LOWER CABIN DOOR FRAME WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED. CRACK WAS FROM LIGHTENING DIRECTLY ABOVE MAIN SPAR CARRY THOUGH AND EXTENDED TO EDGE OF MATERIAL. IT IS SPECULATED THAT THIS CRACKING IS CAUSED BY THE CABIN DOOR FRAME OCCASIONALLY BEARING THE WEIGHT OF PEOPLE WHO ENTER/EXIT CABIN.

Part: BRACKET — CRACKED (FIRE WALL) · airframe 19,714 hrs

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION THE FWD ONE OF TWO Z-SHAPED BRACKETS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE FIREWALL, FOUND CRACKED. IT IS LIKELY CRACKING IS CAUSED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE RUDDER PEDALS STRESSING THE SURROUNDING STRUCTURE.

Part: BRACKET — CRACKED (ZONE 100) · airframe 18,892 hrs

WHEN THE ELT WAS BEING REMOVED FOR INSPECTION, THE TECH DISCOVERED 2, 2 INCH CRACKS NEXT TO THE NUTPLATES IN THE ELT MOUNTING BRACKET.

Part: UNIVERSAL JOINT — SEPARATED (ZONE 200)

DURING FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT SEATED AT THE LT CONTROLS NOTED THE YOKE & YOKE SHAFT HAD DISCONNECTED & NO LONGER WERE CONTROLLING THE PITCH OR ROLL. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL, HE NOTED THE AILERON TRAVEL WAS RESTRICTED BUT CONTROL COULD BE MAINTAINED. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS ABLE TO PERFORM AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT SOON AFTER. WHEN TECHS INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE, THEY IMMEDIATELY NOTED A SILVER PIN WAS PRESENT ON THE FLOOR BELOW THE LEFT CONTROL YOKE; FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE LT CONTROL YOKE UNIVERSAL JOINT HAD SEPARATED IN THE MIDDLE AND THE SILVER PIN ON THE FLOOR WAS FROM THE CENTER OF THE JOINT. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN A COMPLETE DISCONNECTION OF THE YOKE FROM THE TEE BAR. THERE ARE TWO ADS APPLICABLE TO THE AIRCRAFT'S YOKE AND ITS INSTALLATION ON THE ACFT, BUT NEITHER DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THIS SPECIFIC AREA OF THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. THE FAILED JOINT HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE ACFT FOR LAS THAN TWO YEARS AT THE TIME OF FAILURE.

Part: CYLINDER HEAD — CRACKED (ENGINE) · airframe 17,058 hrs

BORESCOPE INSPECTION REVEALED THE NR 1 CYLINDER WAS CRACKED. AFTER REMOVAL, THE INSIDE OF THE HEAD WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED TO EITHER SIDE OF THE LOWER SPARK PLUG HOLE. HEAD CASTING NR C-02282.

Part: CYLINDER HEAD — CRACKED (ENGINE)

BORESCOPE INSPECTION REVEALED THE NR 2 CYLINDER WAS CRACKED. AFTER REMOVAL, THE INSIDE OF THE HEAD WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED AT THE EXHAUST VALVE SEAT. HEAD CASTING NR C-02084.

Part: CYLINDER HEAD — CRACKED (ENGINE)

BORESCOPE INSPECTION REVEALED THE NR 3 CYLINDER HEAD WAS CRACKED. AFTER REMOVAL, THE INSIDE OF THE HEAD WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED TO EITHER SIDE OF THE LOWER SPARK PLUG HOLE. HEAD CASTING NR C-03224.

Part: BRACKET — CRACKED (ZONE 100) · airframe 16,600 hrs

DURING A PROGRESSIVE INSPECTION EVENT, 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 ASSEMBLY. IT CONTAINS NUT PLATES TO ALLOW THE HANDLE TO BE BOLTED THROUGH THE TUNNEL. THE CRACK IS IN THE UPPER RT CORNER OF THE BRACKET, BETWEEN THE NUT PLATE AND THE EDGE OF THE METAL. IT IS SPECULATED THAT THE CRACK IS CAUSED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE FLAP HANDLE CAUSING STRESS TO THE BRACKET.

Part: TUBE — FAILED (LT MLG TIRE) · airframe 15,459 hrs

BETWEEN FLIGHTS, THE LEFT MAIN TIRE WAS FOUND FLAT. THE WHEEL ASSY WAS REPLACED WITH A SERVICEABLE BUILT UP WHEEL ASSY. THE AFFECTED TUBE WAS INSTALLED AS PART OF A BUILT-UP WHEEL ASSY ON 11/14/2013 AND HAD SINCE ACCRUED 90 HOURS TIME IN SERVICE. THIS REPAIR STATION HAS EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF TIRE TUBE FAILURES WITHIN THE PAST 6 WEEKS; THESE FAILURES OCCURRED DURING NORMAL OPERATION OR WHEN THE ACFT WAS STANDING. THE MAJORITY OF FAILED TUBES ARE PN 092-315-0 TUBES. INSPECTION OF FAILED TUBES REVEALS SMALL, ELONGATED HOLES OR TEARS THAT ARE NOT LOCATED ON A SEAM IN THE RUBBER. THE HOLES ARE LOCATED ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE TUBE WHEN LAID FLAT. THE AFFECTED TUBES ARE INSTALLED IN 600X6X6PR TIRES, ARE SERVICED WITH 18 OR 24 PSI OF DRY NITROGEN, AND ARE INSTALLED ON ACFT THAT OPERATE BETWEEN 2100 AND 2500 LBS. THE REPAIR STATION LOCATION HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHANGES THAT WOULD AFFECT INFLATION PRESSURE.

Part: TUBE — FAILED (RT MLG TIRE) · airframe 15,459 hrs

BETWEEN FLIGHTS, THE RT MAIN TIRE WENT FLAT. THE WHEEL ASSY WAS REPLACED WITH A SERVICEABLE BUILT UP WHEEL ASSY. THE AFFECTED TUBE WAS INSTALLED AS PART OF A BUILT-UP WHEEL ASSY ON 11/12/2013 AND HAD SINCE ACCRUED 66 HOURS TIME IN SERVICE. THIS REPAIR STATION HAS EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF TIRE TUBE FAILURES WITHIN THE PAST 6 WEEKS; THESE FAILURES OCCURRED DURING NORMAL OPERATION OR WHEN THE ACFT WAS STANDING. THE MAJORITY OF FAILED TUBES ARE PN 092-315-0. INSPECTION OF FAILED TUBES REVEALS SMALL, ELONGATED HOLES OR TEARS THAT ARE NOT LOCATED ON A SEAM IN THE RUBBER. THE HOLES ARE LOCATED ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE TUBE WHEN LAID FLAT. THE AFFECTED TUBES ARE INSTALLED IN 600X6X6PR TIRES, ARE SERVICED WITH 18 OR 24 PSI OF DRY NITROGEN, AND ARE INSTALLED ON ACFT THAT OPERATE BETWEEN 2100 AND 2500 LBS. THE REPAIR STATION LOCATION HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHANGES THAT WOULD AFFECT INFLATION PRESSURE.

Part: TRANSMITTER — OUT OF TOLERANCE (FUEL QTY) · airframe 14,717 hrs

PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF FUEL QUANTITY SENDER IN THE FUEL TANK, THE SENDER WAS CHECKED IAW THE AIRCRAFT MM. THE UNIT FAILED THE TEST BY HAVING ONE DEAD SPOT AND BEING OUT OF TOLERANCE AT UPPER MECHANICAL LIMIT. UPPER MECHANICAL LIMIT REQUIRED 45 OHMS + OR - 2 INDICATED 57 OHMS. THIS IS A O/H PART.