N443PA
Registered owner: BIRD ACQUISITION LLC, AZ (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
| Operator | Role | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIRD ACQUISITION LLC | Operator | on 2011-01-04 | Operator named in NTSB report |
Accident & incident history
Operated by Bird Acquisition LLC (per NTSB report)
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.
12 reports on file, 2014-12-20 – 2018-09-18.
Part: WIRE — DETERIORATED · airframe 21,060 hrs
DURING A SCHEDULED INSPECTION, FOUND THE POWER WIRE FOR THE START BADLY DETERIORATED WITH NUMEROUS BARE SECTIONS OF WIRE EXPOSED. THE WIRE APPEARS TO BE AUTOMOTIVE TYPE WIRE AND WAS SUPPLIED AS PART OF THE INSTALLATION KIT.
Part: RIB — CRACKED (LT WING) · airframe 20,917 hrs
DURING AN INSPECTION, FOUND TWO WING RIBS CRACKED IN THE LT WING AT WS 86.03 AND 106.19, THE RIBS REMOVED AND REPLACED.
Part: PAN — CRACKED (ZONE 100) · airframe 20,916 hrs
DURING A SCHEDULED INSPECTION, THE OUTER DOOR PAN WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED ABOVE THE WING SPAR CUT OUT, WHEN THIS HAS BEEN FOUND BEFORE, WE ALSO FIND THE FOREWARD SPAR CARRY THRU CRACKED INSIDE THE FUSELAGE
Part: RIB — CRACKED (LT WING) · airframe 20,917 hrs
DURING AN INSPECTION, FOUND TWO WING RIBS CRACKED, IN THE LT WING AT WS 106.19, AND 86.03. THE RIBS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED.
Part: CHANNEL — CRACKED (BS 72.6) · airframe 20,718 hrs
DURING A REPAIR FOR ANOTHER ISSUE, CRACKS WERE FOUND IN THE FWD DOOR CHANNEL LOCATED AT BS 72.6, CRACKS WERE LOCATED ON THE AFT SIDE OF THE EYE BOLT BUSHINGS, BUSHINGS ARE LOCATED INSIDE THE CHANNEL. THIS AREA IS VERY HARD TO INSPECT DUE TO RESTRICTED ACCESS, BUT THEY CAN BE SEEN AFTER MOVING THE INSULATION AND USING A SMALL MIRROR PASSING THRU THE WEB LIGHTNING HOLES. CRACKING MIGHT BE CAUSED BY IMPROPER DOOR ADJUSTMENT, CAUSING THE DOOR EYE BOLTS TO PULL ON THE CHANNEL, WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, ALSO FLIGHT CREWS PULLING ON THE DOOR WHILE GETTING INTO OR OUT OF THE CABIN.
Part: PAN — CRACKED (DOOR) · airframe 20,718 hrs
DURING AN EVENT INSPECTION, FOUND A CRACK ON INSIDE AFT CORNER OF THE DOOR PAN ABOVE THE SPAR CARRY THRU AT BS 108, WL 30, REPLACED BOTH INNER AND OUTER DOOR PANS, DURING THE REPAIR OF THE DOOR PAN, THE FORWARD DOOR CHANNEL AT BS 72.6 WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED AROUND THE HOLES FOR THE EYE BOLTS.
Part: BRACKET — CRACKED · airframe 19,737 hrs
DURING A PROGRESSIVE 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. 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: BRACKET — CRACKED (LT WING TE FLAP) · airframe 18,866 hrs
DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, AN ANGLE IN THE LEFT WING THAT IS LOCATED WITH THE OUTBOARD FLAP MOUNTING BRACKET WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED THROUGH THE RIVETS.
Part: OIL COOLER — LEAKING (ZONE 200) · airframe 17,606 hrs
DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, FRESH OIL WAS FOUND SPRAYED AROUND ON THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COWLING. INSPECTION REVEALED THE OIL COOLER WAS THE SOURCE OF THE LEAKAGE. IT HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE ACFT 5 MONTHS AT THE TIME OF FAILURE.
Part: TAPPET — FLATTENED (NR 4 CYLINDER) · airframe 17,067 hrs
DURING THE REMOVAL OF A CYLINDER, THE TECH WAS TRYING TO REMOVE THE HYDRAULIC LIFTER ASSY WHEN HE FELT SOMETHING ROUGH INSIDE THE CRANKCASE. VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED THE CYLINDER-FACING END OF THE NR 4 CYLINDER EXHAUST TAPPET WAS IN PIECES. THERE HAD BEEN NO ABNORMAL OIL ANALYSIS READINGS NOR ANY METAL SEEN IN THE OIL FILTER PRECEDING THIS DISCOVERY.
Part: TUBE — LEAKING (TIRE) · airframe 16,664 hrs
WHEN THE ACFT LANDED WITH THE INTENTION OF PERFORMING A TOUCH AND GO, THE PILOTS BECAME AWARE OF A VIBRATION THAT INCREASED TO A SEVERE RATTLING OF THE AIRFRAME. THE IP DECIDED TO BRAKE, ABORTING THE TAKEOFF, AND REALIZED THE ACFT WAS SUFFERING FROM A DEFLATED LEFT TIRE. THE ACFT BECAME DISABLED ON THE RUNWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE APRON. REPLACED THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY, THE TUBE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A SMALL HOLE 6" FROM THE VALVE STEM ON THE SIDE OF THE TIRE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FOLDING, CREASING, OR OTHER WEAR OF THE TUBE, BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE WHEEL ASSEMBLIES SERVICED BY THIS REPAIR STATION ARE SERVICED WITH NITROGEN ONLY.
Part: BRACKET — CRACKED (ZONE 100) · airframe 16,606 hrs
DURING A PROGRESSIVE INSPECTION EVENT, A BRACKET WAS FOUND TO BE 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 USED TO MOUNT THE FLAP HANDLE ASSEMBLY. IT CONTAINS 2 NUT PLATES TO ALLOW THE HANDLE TO BE BOLTED THROUGH THE TUNNEL. THE CRACK IS IN THE UPPER RT CORNER OF THE BRACKET, BETWEEN A NUTPLATE 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 SURROUNDING STRUCTURE.