N972LA
Registered owner: TVPX AIRCRAFT SOLUTIONS INC TRUSTEE, UT (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
No operator established for this aircraft.
Accident & incident history
No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.
Maintenance disclosures
REPORTS FROM ANOTHER OPERATOR IN THAT THEY FOUND CRACKING AT TOP CLOSE-OUT OF VERTICAL STABILIZER UNDERNEATH TOP PORTION OF AIRCRAFT RUDDER. INSPECTED BOTH TEXTRON 408'S IN OUR FLEET AND DISCOVERED ON THE CARGO VARIANT SERIAL 408-019 THAT THE VERTICAL STABILIZER TOP CLOSE-OUT PANEL ON THIS AIRCRAFT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY CRACKED AND SEPARATING. A PIECE SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN A QUARTER AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE PANEL WAS MISSING AND EVIDENTLY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM AIRCRAFT WAS RUBBING AT BOTTOM PORTION OF UNDERSIDE OF TOP RUDDER PORTION. THE ANGLED EDGE THAT THE TOP PANEL RIVETS WAS DETACHED ON BOTH PORT AND STARBOARD SIDES OF VERTICAL STAB AND THE DETACHED PIECES (BOTH APPROXIMATELY 8-INCHES) WERE FOUND STILL ATTACHED TO THE TOP PANEL. RUDDER HAD SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH "WEAR-THROUGH" THAT TEXTRON REQUIRES REPAIR OF NOT ONLY THE TOP PORTION OF VERTICAL STABILIZER, BUT RUDDER HAS TO BE REMOVED AND SENT BACK TO TEXTRON FOR REPAIRS. TEXTRON REPORTS IT IS WORKING ON AN " IMPROVEMENT" TO THE TOP CLOSE OUT TO PREVENT RECURRENCE. THE AIRCRAFT IS GROUNDED UNTIL VERT STABILIZER CLOSE-OUT AND RUDDER ARE REPAIRED.
RECURRING CRACKING OF COWLING PANELS. PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED CRACKING OF ALL 4-COWLINGS ON BOTH MSN 408-012, AND MSN 408-019 BY TEXTRON MOBILE SUPPORT TECHNICIANS SEE PREVIOUS REPORT WUXA202403260101. SB 408-30-02 ALSO ACCOMPLISHED ON ICE VANE DOORS TO REDUCE VIBRATIONS AND EXPECTATION OF STOPPING CRACKING. UNFORTUNATELY, LESS THAN 200-FLIGHT HOURS LATER CRACKING RE-APPEARING ON ENGINE COWLINGS AND SKIN AGAIN. ADDITIONAL INFO: AS DIRECTED BY TEXTRON THEY REQUESTED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE THAT WE ARE "REQUESTED" NOT TO OPERATE ICE VANES DURING FLIGHT PHASE UNLESS NECESSARY TO PREVENT AIR LOADING ON THE BYPASS VANES. WHAT EVER PILOTS SET IN PREFLIGHT/TAKE OFF PHASE THE VANES SHOULD REMAIN IN THAT POSITION FOR DURATION OF FLIGHT.
DURING PRE-FLIGHT PILOT NOTICED ON RH ENGINE INERTIAL SEPARATOR DOOR WAS OUT OF POSITION. MAINTENANCE INSPECTION FOUND BOTH ACTUATING 'SHOCK LINK ASSEMBLY'S" FAILED. THESE LINKS CONNECT THE INERTIAL SEPARATOR DOOR TO THE ACTUATING TORQUE-TUBE. THE ASSEMBLY ENDS WERE STILL CONNECTED, THE CORE OF THE ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING RINGS AND SPRINGS FAILED AND TURNED INTO FOD IN THE COWLINGS. BECAUSE THE TORQUE-TUBE AND ARMS WERE STILL CONNECTED THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS OR CASS MESSAGES.