N600TS
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
| Operator | Role | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN CENTRAL AIRLINES | Operator | on 1982-12-21 | Operator named in NTSB report |
Accident & incident history
Operated by AMERICAN CENTRAL AIRLINES (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.
3 reports on file, 1995-07-03 – 2011-08-16.
Part: EXHAUST PIPE — DAMAGED (RT ENGINE) · airframe 27,151 hrs · 31,267 cycles
IN CRUISE FLIGHT, RT ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING BECAUSE THE RT OUTBOARD FUEL TANK WAS GOING EMPTY. THE PILOT SWITCHED BOTH FUEL TANKS TO THE INBOARDS AND AT THAT POINT THE RT ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT FOLLOWED THE FAILED ENGINE PROCEDURE AND TRIED TO RESTART THE RT ENGINE, WOULD NOT RE-START. PILOT INFORMED ATC OF THE SITUATION. DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED AT MAE WITHOUT INCIDENT. MX ATTEMPTED TO RE-START THE RT ENGINE WITH NO SUCCESS. INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND FOUND THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE FROM THE TURBO CHARGER TO THE OVERBOARD TAIL PIPE HAD A 2" X 2" HOLE NEAR THE FIREWALL. SUSPECT THE HOLE WAS FROM "AFTER FIRE" THROUGH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AS THE ENGINE WAS "SPUTTERING" BEFORE IT QUIT. THE FIREWALL WAS INSPECTED FOR HEAT DAMAGE AND FOUND TO BE IN SERVICEABLE CONDITION. FOUND THE HOT EXHAUST FROM THE HOLE IN THE PIPE HAD ENTERED THROUGH THE COWL FLAP HINGE CUT-OUTS IN THE FIREWALL AND MELTED THE INSULATION ON THE MAGNETO "P" LEAD WIRES CAUSING THE "P" LEAD WIRES TO SHORT TO GROUND. THESE WIRES BEING SHORTED TO GROUND WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE NOT RE-STARTING. THE WIRES WERE REPAIRED. DUE TO THE HIGH TIME OF THE RT ENGINE (91.1 HOURS REMAINING BEFORE OVERHAUL)FOR PRE-CAUTIONARY REASONS THE RT ENGINE IS BEING REPLACED.
Part: HINGE — CRACKED (LT INBD GR DOOR)
MAINTENANCE FOUND LT GR DOOR HINGE CRACKED AT CASTING'S 90 DEGREE BEND INNER RADIUS. PART HAD NOT YET FAILED -- CRACK WAS VISIBLE TO THE EYE, AND WAS THROUGH ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE MATERIAL. M OR D WAS FILED IN JULY FOR THE CORRESPONDING HINGE ON THE RT GR DOOR.
Part: HINGE — BROKEN (MLG RT INBD DOOR)
AFTER GEAR RETRACTION, RIGHT INBOARD DOOR REMAINED OPEN AND GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT REMAINED ON. FOUND THE FORWARD HINGE HAD BROKEN IN RADIUS. ALSO FOUND BEARING (PRESSED INTO HINGE) WORN AND HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY. THIS HINGE IN THE IMPROVED TYPE INSTALLED IAW WITH AD 80-26-05 AND PIPER SB 682 TO PREVENT CRACKING. SECOND INCIDENT IN RECENT MEMORY (REF MOD 6-29-95).