BUSINESS AIR INC

DURING A 150 HR INSPECTION THE LOWER FUEL CONTROL ROD WAS FOUND BROKEN ON THREADED SHAFT WHERE IT SCREWS INTO COUPLING. IT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY HAVE BEEN BENT AND A MORE DETAILED INSPECTION OF THIS COMPONENT SHOULD OCCUR. (K)

FLIGHT WITH CARGO ON BOARD, PILOT SAID RADAR SCREEN WENT BLANK. SHORTLY AFTER HE SAID THE COCKPIT STARTED TO FILL UP WITH SMOKE. RADIOED TOWER AND DIVERTED FROM INTENDED DESTINATION TO CLOSEST AIRPORT. LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT WITH THE LOCAL FIRE DEPT STANDING BY. MECHANIC DROVE TO INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT. FOUND WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED WITH THE RADAR ON. THE INDICATOR WOULD START TO SMOKE SIGNIFICANTLY. THE RADAR INDICATOR WAS REMOVED AND THE SYSTEM WAS MEL. PROBABLE CAUSE: COMPONENT AGE. (NE05DAD200400035)

LEFT WING POSITION LIGHT/STROBE ASSY INSTALLED INCORRECTLY(BACKWARDS). RED LIGHT FACING AFT AND STROBE FACING FOWARD. ASSY CAN BE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY AT FACTORY OR BY MECHANIC IN THE FIELD.

RIGHT WING POSITION/STROBE LIGHT INSTALLED INCORRECTLY(BACKWARDS). GREEN LIGHT FACING AFT AND STROBE FACING FOWARD. LIGHT ASSY CAN BE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY AT FACTORY OR BY MECHANIC IN THE FIELD.

LEFT WING POSITION/STROBE LIGHT ASSY INSTALLED INCORRECTLY(BACKWARDS). RED LIGHT FACING AFT AND STROBE FACING FOWARD. LIGHT ASSY CAN BE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY AT FACTORY OR BY MECHANIC IN THE FIELD.

FOUND BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT T CHANNELS CRACKED APPROX 8 INCHES. THESE CHANNELS ARE LOCATED ON THE FORWARD CORNERS OF THE NOSE WHEEL WELL BOX ASSY AND ACCESSED FROM THE NOSE BAGGAGE AREA. POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR CRACKING DUE TO EXCESSIVE SIDE LOADING WHILE TAXIING. (M)

DURING A PART 91 TRAINING FLIGHT, IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WAS AN ASYMMETRICAL FLAP CONDITION (SLIGHT). CREW RETURNED TO BASE AND MAINTENANCE FOUND FLAP TORQUE TUBE 80 PERCENT CRACKED THROUGH AT LEFT BELLCRANK AREA.

WHILE REPORTING FROM UPS RAMP TO FBO RAMP IN BUF A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN TURNING AIRCRAFT WHILE TAXIING. THE NOSE WHEEL HALF BROKE LEAVING THE AXLE BOLT AND TWO WHEEL BEARINGS ON THE AXLE. BEARINGS WERE FOUND TO BE CORRODED. PROBABLE CAUSE, FREQUENT DE-ICINGS WITH GLYCOL WASHED OUT NOSEWHEEL BEARINGS. WHEELBEARINGS ARE NOW INSPECTED EVERY 150 HOURS. (M)

BUFFALO-BINGHAMTON - WHILE EN ROUTE THE FLIGHT CREW DIVERTED TO ROCHESTER NY AFTER EXPERIENCING RIGHT ENGINE TORQUE FLUCTUATIONS. AFTER LANDING, THE CREW DISCOVERED THE RIGHT ENGINE TOP COWL HAD BECOME PARTIALLY UNLATCHED. THE ENGINE INLET WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND FREE OF OBSTRUCTIONS. NO APPARENT SIGNS OF A BIRD STRIKE WERE DETECTED 4 COWL LATCH ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED. THE ENGINE COWL WAS SECURED AND THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS GROUND OPERATIONALLY CHECKED, ALL INDICATIONS AND PARAMETERS WERE SATISFACTORY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED TO SERVICE. (M)

AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30 P.M. ON 6-25-98 WHILE EN ROUTE TO SYRACUSE, THE LT HYD SYSTEM PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO PSIG. A NORMAL LANDING ACCOMPLISHED AT SYRACUSE. THE HYD SYS FILTER AND PRESSURE AND SUCTION LINES WERE EXAMINED FOR METAL. NONE FOUND. THE LT PUMP WAS ISOLATED AND A FERRY FLIGHT TO B5B. THE LT PUMP P/N 65WE00224-1 S/N C1-155-C1 REMOVED AND REPLACED ALONG WITH THE PRIMARY SYSTEM FILTER. THE HYD PUMP AND SYS FUNCTIONAL TESTED SATISFACTORY AND ACFT RETURNED TO SERVICE. (X)

THE PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT THE ROCHESTER, NY AIRPORT AS THE RIGHT HAND ENGINE'S CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE AND EVENTUALLY FELL TO ZERO BEFORE LANDING. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE'S BAFFLING, EXHAUST MANIFOLD, AND CYLINDERS REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED A CHAFED WIRE ADJACENT TO THE EXHAUST HEADER HEAT SHIELD, THE 22 GAUGE AIRFRAME CHT INDICATION SYSTEM WIRE WAS SPLICED USING A SP0704 INSULATED SPLICE CONNECTOR, EGT SYSTEM OPERATION, AND INDICATIONS WERE OPS CHECKED AND FOUND NORMAL.

THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED INTO THE YELLOW ARC DURING FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING (DID NOT SHUT DOWN ENGINE). INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE SPRING BROKE IN THE STARTER ADAPTER AND PIECES BECAME LODGED UNDER THE RELEIF VALVE. THE START ADAPTER WAS REPLACED. FLUSHED OIL SYSTEM, OPENED FILTER AFTER GROUND RUN FOR 30 MINUTES. NO METAL NOTED IN FILTER.

ELEVATOR TRIM TAB ACTUATOR SUPPORT, PART NR 110-3210-04, FOUND CRACKED DURING INSPECTION PER AD 91-25-09. BRACKET WAS REPLACED. (M)

AT FRAME STATION 33, LEFT FORWARD UPPR SUPPORT BRACKET, P/N 110-1411-07-31, FOUND CRACKED DURING DYE PENETRANT INSPECTION PER AD 83-14-09. CRACK EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY .125 INCH THROUGH .1875 INCH FROM BOLT HOLE. BRACKET WAS REPLACED.

LEFT MLG INBOARD WHEEL HALF, BEAD AREA BROKE OFF (80 PERCENT). A PIECE OF WHEEL HIT PROPELLER CAUSING LEFT PROPELLER BLADE DAMAGE.

LEFT ELEVATOR BELLCRANK CRACKED ON FLANGE. CRACK CAUSED BY TELEFLEX CABLE BOUNCING ON FLANGE AREA. THIS BELLCRANK WAS REPLACED. REPOSITIONED CLAMP FOR TELEFLEX CABLE.

RIGHT AILERON CENTER HINGE BRACKET WAS FOUND CRACKED AT HOLE FOR MOUNTING TO WING. REPLACED HINGE BRACKET.

UPON LANDING GEAR ACTUATION, LANDING GEAR CYCLE SLOWER THAN NORMAL AND GRINDING NOISE HEARD. UPON REMOVED OF LANDING GEAR MOTOR, P/N 1514818, STRIPPED OF ALL TEETH EXCEPT FOR 2 OR 3 TEETH REMAINING.

DURING FLIGHT, PILOT REPORTED SEVERE VIBRATION FROM RUDDER. UPON INSPECTION, FOUND UPPER RUDDER HINGE CRACKED WHERE BOLT PASSES THROUGH TOP AND BOTTOM. RUDDER TRIM TAB HINGE WHERE ACTUATOR ARM ATTACHES WAS FOUND LOOSE (WORKING CHERRYMAX RIVETS). THIS DAMAGE APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED DURING A WINDSTORM AND ACFT TAILED INTO WIND. (ALL CONTROL LOCKS WERE INSTALLED.)

INSPECTED BOTH STARTER ADAPTERS AND FOUND THEM WORN BEYOND LIMITS PER SB MEB 94-4. THIS PART IS THE NEW IMPROVED STYLE ADAPTER AND DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY FURTHER INSPECTIONS.

INSPECTED BOTH STARTER ADAPTERS AND FOUND THEM WORN BEYOND LIMITS PER SB MEB 94-4. THIS PART IS THE NEW IMPROVED STYLE ADAPTER AND DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY FURTHER INSPECTIONS.

FOUND BOTH NOSE GEAR DRAG BRACE ATTACH POINTS (WHEELWELL SKINS) CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES.

RT MLG UPPER TORQUE LINK FAILED AT CENTER PIVOT POINT. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A LOCKING PIN FAILURE (ITEM 66A) AND (ITEM 67A).