N95WA
Registered owner: ALPINE AVIATION INC, UT (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
| Operator | Role | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALPINE AVIATION, INC. (TIMA) | Certificate holder | — | Matched by certificate designator |
Accident & incident history
Maintenance disclosures
AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH ROUGHLY 6000 FEET THE TORQUE AND ITT BEGAN TO SLOWLY FALL. AFTER PILOT NOTICED THE DECREASE HE REQUESTED TO GO BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT AND BEGAN TO TROUBLE SHOOT. HE INCREASED AND DECREASED THE POWER LEVERS AND NOTICED VERY LITTLE CHANGE. THE TORQUE KEP SLOWLY DECREASING. HE CYCLED THROUGH INVERTERS TO ENSURE IT WASN'T A GAUGE. AT THAT TIME HE REQUESTED A CLEARANCE BACK TO THE AIRPORT AT WHICH TIME HE EXECUTED A VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 28R.
PILOT REPORTED SMOKE IN COCKPIT WHILE INBOUND. UPON INVESTIGATION, FOUND WIRES CHAFED TO GROUND AND OVERHEATED.
PILOT FELT A POWER SURGE AND SAW FLAMES OUT THE LEFT ENGINE EXHAUST FOR A MOMENT. LEFT PROPELLER STOPPED TURNING. PILOT SECURED ENGINE, CONTINUED ON AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PT BLADES WERE MOSTLY GONE. CT BLADES ARE OK. SUSPECT BEARING FAILURE IN POWER SECTION.
LT ELEVATOR WAS FOUND CRACKED BEHIND ELEVATOR BALANCE WEIGHT AT THE OB END OF THE ELEVATOR. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BALANCE WEIGHT WAS MODIFIED TO INCREASE THE WEIGHT. THE ADDED WEIGHT WAS DETERMINED TO BE INSTALLED BECAUSE THE ELEVATOR HAD BEEN SKINNED WITH ALUMINUM AND WAS PREVIOUSLY SKINNED WITH MAGNESIUM. THE ADDED WEIGHT OF THE ALUMINUM SKIN REQUIRED ADDED WEIGHT FOR BALANCING THE ELEVATOR. THIS ADDED WEIGHT CAUSED THE RIB TO CRACK. ELEVATOR WAS REPLACED WITH AN ALUMINUM ELEVATOR. ALUMINUM ELEVATOR HAS AN ADDITIONAL BALANCE WEIGHT INSTALLED FOR BALANCING PURPOSES. KIT 99-4018S WAS INSTALLED IN THE HORIZ STAB TO PROVIDE AN OPENING FOR THE ADDITIONAL BALANCE WEIGHT. (K)
ENGINE REPORTEDLY BACKFIRED AND SURGED AT HIGH POWER SETTINGS WHEN MAKING CHANGES IN POWER SETTING. ENGINE PASSED ALL GROUND PERFORMANCE CHECKS SO A FCU WAS REPLACED FOR TROUBLESHOOTING. ITS UNKNOWN WHAT CAUSED THE FCU TO MALFUNCTION DURING THE ACCELERATION MODE.
THE AILERON TRIM TAB DID NOT PASS A VISUAL SURFACE INSPECTION DURING A CHECK OF THE FREE PLAY DURING A DETAILED INSPECTION. REMOVED ENTIRE AILERON ASSY AND INSTALLED A SERVICEABLE AILERON ASSY. THE INSPECTION PROCESS WORKED IN THIS CASE AS DESIGNED SO AN INCREASE IN FREQUENCY IS NOT WARRANTED. THE INSPECTION/CHECK IS FOR FREE-PLAY AND THE DISCREPANCY WAS FOR BOTH FREE-PLAY IN EXCESS OF THE MFG''S RECOMMENDATIONS AND CRACKS IN THE SKIN. CRACKS IN THE SKIN APPEAR TO BE THE RESULT OF IMPROPER GROUND HANDLING. (X)
THE TORQUE KNEES (UPPER AND LOWER) WERE FOUND CRACKED DURING INSPECTION. CRACK NEAR CENTER PIVOT BOLT AREA.
CRACK FOUND IN LEFT GEAR WELL AFT OF MAIN SPAR ON INBOARD SIDE OF THE CAP IN THE VICINITY OF THE NACELLE SPLICE PLATE.
ON POST-FLIGHT, PILOT REPORTED FUEL LEAKING FROM RT WING FROM GEAR DOOR, FUEL TRACED TO BOX CELL AFT OF SPAR, OUTBOARD OF NACELLE. REPLACED FUEL CELL, POST-WORK OPS CHECKS OK. POSSIBLE CAUSE OF LEAKAGE WAS CONDITION/AGE OF FUEL CELL AND/OR IMPROPER INSTALLATION.