N748CA
Registered owner: DESERT AIR AMBULANCE INC, CA (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
| Operator | Role | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| DESERT AIR AMBULANCE INC (U7ZA) | Certificate holder | — | Matched by certificate designator |
Accident & incident history
No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.
Maintenance disclosures
ALTERNATOR CASE THIN BOLTS ARE SHEARING. BOLTS THAT RECOVERED FROM ENGINE COWLING, SHOWS SIGNS OF STRETCHING. BOLTS POSSIBLE OVER TORQUED FROM FACTORY.
RIGHT BRAKE INOPERATIVE. BRAKES WERE SERVICED AND BLED, THEN MECHANIC FOUND HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKING FROM BOTTOM OF AIRCRAFT. ON FURTHER INSPECTION, LINE PN 5100106-159 WAS FOUND TO HAVE PIN HOLES IN IT. SUBMITTER RECOMMENDED: INSPECT THIS LINE IN MORE DETAIL DURING 100-HOUR INSPECTION. (X)
UPON AIRCRAFT AND ENGINES ROUTINE OPS 1 AND 2 (100 HRS) INSPECTIONS, COMPRESSION ON NR 5 CYLINDER WAS 52/80 AND LEAKING BY THE STATIC SEAL (EXHAUST VALVE). CYLINDER WAS DISSASSEMBLED AND VISUALLY INSPECTED. FOUND BOTH INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVE INNER VALVE SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN 2 EACH PIECES AND VALVE FACES HAD EXCESSIVE WEAR. SPECULATION ON POSSIBLE CAUSE AND RECOMMENDATION TO PREVENT RECURRENCE CANNOT BE GIVEN AT THIS TIME. INVESTIGATION OF PARTS IS STILL ONGOING WITH MAINTENANCE AND TCM REP.
PILOT REPORTED VIBRATION ON RT SIDE OF AIRCRAFT DURING TAKEOFF ROLL AND CLIMB OUT. COULD NOT CORRECT WITH ENGINE CONTROLS (RPM, M.A.P., FUEL OR MAGS). RETURNED TO AIRPORT MAINT FACILITY AND REPORTED OUT OF BALANCE PROP. UPON MAINT GROUND RUN, ENG RAN ROUGH, VIBRATION AT IDLE RPM AND BACKFIRING OUT THE EXHAUST. DIFFERENTIAL COMPRESSION CHECK REVEALED NR 1 CYL AT ZERO COMPRESSION. UPON FURTHER INSP, NOTED 3 PIECES WITH SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO THE GUIDE AND VALVE. DAMAGE TO THE GUIDE WAS SO SEVERE, THE EXHAUST VALVE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION CAUSING THE DEAD CYLINDER.