STAR MARIANAS AIR INC

Operated by Star Marianas Air Inc (per NTSB report)

Operated by Star Marianas Air, Inc (per NTSB report)

Operated by Star Marianas Air, Inc. (per NTSB report)

Operated by STAR MARIANAS AIR INC (per NTSB report)

Operated by Star Marianas Air, Inc (per NTSB report)

AFTER TAKEOFF, LANDING GEAR FAILED TO RETRACT (STUCK IN TRANSIT). RECYCLING LEVER TO DOWN ALSO FAILED; NO GREEN LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. VISUAL CHECK SHOWED NOSE GEAR STUCK IN A HALFWAY POSITION. PILOT EXECUTED EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION CHECKLIST AND SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED ALL THREE GEAR USING THE HAND PUMP. AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY. POST-FLIGHT INSPECTION FOUND A SIGNIFICANT HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAK FROM THE LH ENGINE HYDRAULIC FILTER ASSEMBLY (PUROLATOR, P/N 460-635). INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE O-RING (MS28778-16) HAD FAILED BY EXTRUDING FROM THE HOUSING. THE O-RING WAS FOUND PINCHED BETWEEN THE FILTER BOWL AND HOUSING MATING SURFACES, NOT SEATED IN ITS INTENDED GROOVE. THIS IS A RECURRING FLEET-WIDE SAFETY ISSUE. OUR FLEET PREVIOUSLY REMOVED THE FACET-MANUFACTURED FILTERS DUE TO KNOWN CATASTROPHIC THREAD CRACKING (REF: CASA AWB 29-003). THE "OLDER" PUROLATOR-STYLE FILTERS, NOW IN USE, ARE FAILING DUE TO THIS O-RING RETENTION/INSTALLATION ISSUE. BOTH AVAILABLE DESIGNS FOR THIS COMPONENT HAVE KNOWN FAILURE MODES THAT LEAD TO THE SAME UNSAFE CONDITION: TOTAL LOSS OF MAIN HYDRAULIC PRESSURE. THIS IS THE 4TH SIMILAR HYDRAULIC/FILTER EVENT IN ABOUT 6 MONTHS IN OUR PA-31 FLEET, BUT THE FIRST BEING ENTERED IN THE FAA SDR SYSTEM. BECAUSE OF THE RECURRENCE, SHORT TIME-IN-SERVICE, AND DIRECT EFFECT ON GEAR EXTENSION, WE BELIEVE THIS REPRESENTS A FLEET-RELEVANT FAILURE MODE AND ARE REPORTING IT SO FAA CAN AGGREGATE SIMILAR CASES AND CONSIDER GUIDANCE.

AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LEFT ENGINE POWER FLUCTUATION DURING CRUISE AT 3,500 FEET, EN ROUTE FROM ROTA (GRO) TO SAIPAN (GSN). THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) OBSERVED MANIFOLD PRESSURE FLUCTUATIONS BETWEEN 28-22 INCHES OF MERCURY AND NOTED INCONSISTENT ENGINE POWER. WHITE/BLUE SMOKE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY OBSERVED EMANATING FROM THE LEFT ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO ROTA (GRO) WITH THE LEFT ENGINE OPERATING AT APPROXIMATELY 75% POWER. POST-FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A SHEARED AND SEPARATED TURBINE ASSEMBLY WITHIN THE LEFT ENGINE TURBOCHARGER. THE TURBOCHARGER, OVERHAULED BY APPROVED TURBO COMPONENTS (U5AR184Y), HAD ACCUMULATED 392.7 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL. THE AIRCRAFT HAD UNDERGONE A PHASE CHECK THE PREVIOUS DAY, WITH 0.9 HOURS FLOWN SINCE INSPECTION. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED DURING THE PRECEDING INSPECTION.

DURING APPROACH TO AIRPORT WHEN THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE WAS MOVED TO THE DOWN POSITION, THE RED GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED, THE GEAR DOWN/LOCKED LIGHTS REMAINED EXTINGUISHED, AND THE NOSE GEAR COULD BE SEEN IN THE NACELLE MIRROR TO ONLY BE PARTIALLY EXTENDED. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO "RECYCLE" THE GEAR UP AND BACK DOWN, WITH NO CHANGE IN INDICATION, THE PILOT COMPLETED THE EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR EXTENSION CHECKLIST AND BY UTILIZING THE LANDING GEAR EMERGENCY HAND PUMP, WAS ABLE TO EXTEND AND LOCK THE LANDING GEAR. DURING A POST FLIGHT INSPECTION, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS FOUND ON THE LOWER LEFT HAND WING AND NACELLE, AFT OF THE LEFT ENGINE FIREWALL. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE O-RING HOLDING THE HYDRAULIC FILTER BOWL TO THE HYDRAULIC FILTER BASE HAD FAILED ALLOWING THE HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAK FROM THE RESERVOIR. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE RESERVOIR SHOWED ONLY "STAND-PIPE" FLUID REMAINED.

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTICED THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE SUDDENLY INDICATED 0 PSI. THE NEAREST AIRPORT WAS THE DESTINATION AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES AWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT OBSERVE ANY ABNORMAL OIL TEMPERATURE, CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE, EGT, AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE, FUEL FLOW AND FUEL PRESSURE REMAINED NOMINAL. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES AND APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE RIGHT ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO DECREASE UNCOMMANDED AND FUEL FLOW DECREASED. THE PILOT FEATHERED THE RIGHT PROPELLER, AND SHUTDOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF OIL ON THE LOWER NACELLE SECTION OF THE RIGHT HAND ENGINE. FURTHER VISUAL INSPECTION ISOLATED THE SOURCE OF THE OIL LEAKE TO BE ON THE OIL COOLER OUTLET HOSE INTEGRATED METAL FITTING / ANGLE. THE HOSE AND ASSOCIATED FITTING HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 544 HOURS SINCE NEW AND 15 MONTHS SINCE INSTALLATION.

DURING CRUISE, PILOT NOTICED RT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE INDICATED ZERO PSI. NEAREST AIRPORT WAS AT DESTINATION, APPROX 30 MILES AWAY. PILOT DID NOT SEE ANY ABNORMAL OIL TEMPS, CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS, EGT, MANIFOLD PRESSURE, FUEL FLOW & FUEL PRESSURE NOMINAL. APPROX 10 MINS & APPROX 7 MILES FROM DESTINATION, RT ENG RPM BEGAN TO DECREASE UNCOMMANDED & FUEL FLOW DECREASED. PILOT FEATHERED RT PROPELLER, & SHUTDOWN RT ENG, LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF OIL ON LOWER RT NACELLE. VISUAL INSPECTION ISOLATED THE SOURCE OF OIL LEAK TO OIL COOLER OUTLET HOSE INTEGRATED METAL FITTING. HOSE & FITTING ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 544 HOURS SINCE NEW & 15 MONTHS SINCE INSTALLATION.

WHILE PERFORMING NOSE LANDING GEAR LINK ASSEMBLY PN:40336-00 INSPECTION 500 HOUR REPETITIVE INSPECTION PER PIPER SERVICE LETTER NO. 1088 A CRACK INDICATION WAS FOUND DURING 10X MAGNIFYING VISUAL INSPECTION. CRACK CONFIRMED DURING LIQUID PENETRANT INSPECTION.

DURING APPROACH PHASE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR, THE GEAR FAILED TO FULLY EXTEND WITH THE ENGINE DRIVEN PUMPS. PILOT SUCCESSFULLY EXTENDED GEAR USING THE EMERGENCY EXTENSION HANDLE. AFTER LANDING POST FLIGHT REVEALED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HYDRAULIC FLUID PRESENT ON LEFT LOWER NACELLE AFT. SOURCE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS FOUND TO BE FROM THE LEFT ENGINE HYDRAULIC FILTER HOUSING. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FILTER HOUSING REVEALED A RADIAL CRACK AROUND THE THREADS HOLDING THE HOUSING TO THE FILTER BASE.

DURING APPROACH PHASE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR, THE GEAR FAILED TO FULLY EXTEND WITH THE ENGINE DRIVEN PUMPS. PILOT SUCCESSFULLY EXTENDED GEAR USING THE EMERGENCY EXTENSION HANDLE. AFTER LANDING POST FLIGHT REVEALED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HYDRAULIC FLUID PRESENT ON LEFT LOWER NACELLE AFT. SOURCE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS FOUND TO BE FROM THE LEFT ENGINE HYDRAULIC FILTER HOUSING. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FILTER HOUSING REVEALED A RADIAL CRACK AROUND THE THREADS HOLDING THE HOUSING TO THE FILTER BASE.

WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT, THE LOWER CABIN ENTRY DOOR AND AFT CARGO DOOR CAME OPEN, UNCOMMANDED, RESULTING IN A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. PRIOR TO THE UNCOMMANDED OPENING, THE CABIN DOOR UNSAFE LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED AND BOTH THE PILOT AND RAMP AGENT CONFIRMED THAT THE DOOR HAD BEEN FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AND WAS SECURED WITH THE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT EXTINGUISHED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. INSPECTION OF THE ENTRY AND CARGO DOOR REVEALED THAT THE LOWER ENTRY DOOR AFT LATCH SPRING HAD FAILED, HOWEVER THE SECONDARY PIN THAT SECURES THE ENTRY DOOR TO THE CARGO DOOR WAS FUNCTIONING AND SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE LOWER DOOR FROM OPENING. INSPECTION OF THE CARGO DOOR DID NOT REVEAL ANY OBVIOUS ISSUES, HOWEVER WHEN AN INWARD/OUTWARD FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE CARGO DOOR BY HAND APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES, THE CARGO DOOR LATCH WOULD MOVE FROM A SECURED TO AN OPEN POSITION. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED THE CARGO DOOR LATCHING ROD/CLEVIS ASSEMBLY DIMENSIONS WERE BELOW MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE MANUAL. NO SPECIFIC INSPECTION OF CARGO LATCH RIGGING UNLESS THE LATCH IS REMOVED/REPLACED WERE LOCATED IN THE SERVICE MANUAL. NO SPECIFIC INSPECTION CRITERIA FOR THE DOOR OPERATION COULD BE FOUND OTHER THAN VERIFICATION THAT THE DOORS CLOSED AND LATCHES MOVED TO THE SECURED POSITION WAS FOUND IN MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS. HAVE ADDED AN INTERNAL MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDED A CYCLICAL INWARD/OUTWARD FORCE ON THE CARGO DOOR TO VERIFY THE LATCH REMAINS IN THE SECURED POSITION.

DURING A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE ROCKER BOX COVERS, EVIDENCE OF OIL SEEPING FROM CYLINDER #5 ROCKER BOX COVER AREA WAS DISCOVERED ON RAISED "LYCOMING" STAMPED. FURTHER INSPECTION WITH A 10X MAGNIFYING GLASS CONFIRMED THE STAMPED AREA TO HAVE SMALL HOLES/CRACKS DIRECTLY AROUND THE EDGES OF THE STAMPED LETTERING.

DURING A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE ROCKER BOX COVERS, EVIDENCE OF OIL SEEPING FROM CYLINDER #4 ROCKER BOX COVER AREA WAS DISCOVERED ON RAISED "LYCOMING" STAMPED. FURTHER INSPECTION WITH A 10X MAGNIFYING GLASS CONFIRMED THE STAMPED AREA TO HAVE SMALL HOLES/CRACKS DIRECTLY AROUND THE EDGES OF THE STAMPED LETTERING.

DURING A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE ROCKER BOX COVERS, EVIDENCE OF OIL SEEPING FROM THE CYLINDER #5 ROCKER BOX COVER AREA WAS DISCOVERED ON RAISED "LYCOMING" STAMPED. FURTHER INSPECTION WITH A 10X MAGNIFYING GLASS CONFIRMED THE STAMPED AREA TO HAVE SMALL HOLES/CRACKS DIRECTLY AROUND THE EDGES OF THE STAMPED LETTERING.

DURING A SCHEDULED VISUAL INSPECTION, A CRACK WAS DISCOVERED THE RUDDER CONTROL ARM THAT CONNECTS THE RUDDER TRIM ACTUATOR MECHANISM TO THE RUDDER PEDAL CONTROL ASSEMBLY. THE CRACK EXTENDED FROM THE BOLT HOLE THAT ATTACHES THE CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY TO THE RUDDER PEDAL ASSEMBLY BAR.

DURING A SCHEDULED VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE, EVIDENCE OF OIL SEEPING FROM THE CYLINDER ROCKER BOX COVER AREA WAS DISCOVERED ON TWO CYLINDERS. USING SOAP BUBBLES AND AIR, OIL SEEP WAS ISOLATED TO SEVERAL SMALL PIN HOLES AROUND THE RAISED STAMPED AREA ON THE ROCKER BOX COVER WHERE "LYCOMING" IS STAMPED. FURTHER INSPECTION WITH A 10X MAGNIFYING GLASS CONFIRMED THE STAMPED AREA TO HAVE SMALL HOLES/CRACKS DIRECTLY AROUND THE EDGES OF THE STAMPED LETTERING.

INDICATION OF CRACK/DEFECT DETECTED WHICH EXCEEDED THE ALLOWABLE THRESHOLD ON RIGHT HAND WING OUTBOARD AFT WING SPAR BOLT HOLE DURING EDDY CURRENT INSPECTION REQUIRED BY AD 2020-26-16

DURING A SCHEDULED INSPECTION OF THE MAIN WING SPAR PER PIPER'S PA-32-300 SERVICE MANUAL SPECIAL INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS AND AFT WING SPAR PER PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN 1244C ON LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS, ONE RIVET WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING FROM THE RIGHT AFT WING SPAR ATTACHMENT FITTING AT APPROXIMATELY WING STATION 27. FURTHER VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED MODERATE DISSIMILAR METAL CORROSION BETWEEN WING STATION 25-29 WHERE THE STEEL FITTING ATTACHES TO THE ALUMINUM AFT WING SPAR. THE CORROSION WAS FOUND TO EXCEED THE CORROSION REPAIR LIMITS IN TABLE 2 OF PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN 1244C. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE LEFT WING AFT SPAR ATTACHMENT FITTING ALSO REVEALED MODERATE DISSIMILAR METAL CORROSION EXCEEDING THE CORROSION REPAIR LIMITS IN TABLE 2 OF PIPER SB 1244C WHERE THE STEEL FITTING ATTACHES TO THE AFT WING SPAR. BOTH AFT WING SPARS REQUIRE STRUCTURAL REPAIR PER PART II OF PIPER SB 1244C.

PILOT REPORTED ENGINE WOULD NOT START / STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE STARTER REVEALED THE HOUSING HAD COMPLETELY CRACKED AROUND THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE HOUSING SEPARATING THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE HOUSING FROM THE MAIN STARTER BODY. STARTER WAS INSTALLED ON 01/21/2018 AND HAD ACCUMULATED 223.3 HOURS TIME IN SERVICE SINCE NEW / INSTALLATION.

AFTER INITIATING TAKEOFF ROLL BY ADVANCING THROTTLE FULL FORWARD, PILOT NOTED LESS THAN NORMAL POWER AND VERIFIED MAXIMUM RPM ACHIEVED WAS 2000 RPM. PILOT REJECTED TAKEOFF AND RETURNED TO GATE. POST FLIGHT RUN-UP REVEALED ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE ABOVE 1,200 RPM, WHEN IGNITION SWITCH PLACED ON RIGHT HAND MAGNETO ONLY, ENGINE WOULD LOSE SUBSTANTIAL RPM. WITH ONLY LEFT MAGNETO SELECTED ENGINE WOULD RUN NORMALLY.

AFTER TAKING OFF AND SETTING CLIMB POWER, PILOT NOTED THROTTLE MOVEMENT HAD NO IMPACT ON MANIFOLD PRESSURE SETTING AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE ENGINE POWER WITH THE THROTTLE. UPON DISCOVERY, PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND ASKED TO LAND ON A RUNWAY TEMPORARILY CLOSED AS IT WAS LONGER AND THE NECESSARY ENGINE SHUTDOWN. ATC WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE CLEARANCE TO LAND ON THE CLOSED RUNWAY, SO PILOT OPTED TO CONTINUE FLT TO AIRPORT OF INTENDED DESTINATION 10 MILES SOUTH USING CLIMB POWER AND RPM SETTINGS FOR THE FLIGHT. AFTER LANDING WAS ASSURED, PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND EXECUTED A SAFE LANDING. VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED A CRACK AROUND THE WELD ON THE THROTTLE JOINT ASSEMBLY WHICH HAD RESULTED IN A COMPLETE DISCONNECTION OF THE THROTTLE CABLE TO FUEL INJECTOR SERVO.

DURING DESCENT, LT ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD TEMP FROM 390 DEGREES F TO APPROXIMATELY ONE NEEDLE WIDTH BELOW RED LINE OBSERVED. TO KEEP TEMP BELOW RED LINE, MIXTURE WAS GRADUALLY INCREASED UNTIL FULL RICH JUST BEFORE CHECKS. DURING CHECKS, LEFT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WAS OBSERVED TO BE DECREASING, BUT STILL WITHIN NORMAL "GREEN" RANGE AT BOTTOM END. OIL TEMPERATURE NEVER EXCEEDED 200 DEGREES F. ON OIL PRESSURE DECREASED TO ZERO & ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN DURING ROLL OUT. POST FLIGHT VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF OIL ON LOWER AFT PORTION OF LEFT ENGINE & ON LEFT MAIN GEAR. OIL QUANTITY INDICATOR SHOWED APPROXIMATELY 6 OF 12 QUARTS REMAINED IN THE SYSTEM. ROCKER BOX INSPECTION PERFORMED ON ALL CYLINDERS & DISCOLORATION CONSISTENT WITH HEAT WAS NOTED AROUND THE EXHAUST VALVE STEM OF NR 6 CYLINDER. VISUAL INSPECTION OF EXHAUST SYSTEM REVEALED CONCENTRATION OF OIL COMING FROM NR 6 CYLINDER EXHAUST PORT. NR 6 CYLINDER WAS REMOVED & PISTON RINGS WERE FOUND TO HAVE BROKEN CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE TO CYLINDER, PISTON, & PISTON PIN. FURTHER VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO 2(TWO) COMPRESSOR BLADES ON LEFT ENGINE TURBO CHARGER. NR 5 CYLINDER WAS REMOVED FOR VISUAL INSPECTION & CYLINDERS 1,2,3, & 4 WERE INSPECTED WITH BORESCOPE. CONDITION OF REMAINING CYLINDERS APPEARED NORMAL & CROSS-HATCHING ON CYLINDER WALLS OBSERVED. R&R # 6 CYLINDER ASSEMBLY AND TURBO CHARGER. GROUND AND FLIGHT CHECKS NORMAL.

AFTER TAKING OFF, THE PILOT REPORTED AN ODOR DESCRIBED AS A HOT, BURNING ODOR LIKE MELTING WIRES COMING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. NO SMOKE WAS ENCOUNTERED AND NO EMERGENCY DECLARED, BUT THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO DEPARTURE. TROUBLESHOOTING ON THE GROUND ISOLATED THE ISSUE TO THE WEATHER RADAR INDICATOR WHICH WAS NO LONGER POWERING UP OR DISPLAYING ANY INFORMATION, BUT WHEN POWER SWITCHED TO ON, A HOT ODOR WAS DETECTED. UNIT WAS REMOVED AND RETURNED TO REPAIR STATION FOR INVESTIGATION.

DURING APPROACH TO LANDING, PILOT SELECTED LANDING GEAR LEVER TO DOWN POSITION. GEAR POSITION INDICATORS SHOWED NLG AND LT MLG DOWN AND LOCKED. NO DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION FOR RT GEAR. GEAR UNSAFE "RED" LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND LANDING GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE DID NOT RESET TO NEUTRAL POSITION. PILOT EXECUTED EMERGENCY CHECKLIST AND ATTEMPTED TO PUMP GEAR DOWN, BUT NO CHANGE IN INDICATION WAS OBSERVED. AFTER VERIFYING WITH GROUND PERSONNEL THROUGH FSS THAT GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN, PILOT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON EXIT OF THE ACFT THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE INBD GEAR DOORS REMAINED OPEN. INSPECTION OF THE RT MAIN LANDING GEAR REVEALED THAT THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED, HOWEVER THE BEARING ON THE ROD END, PN: 74087-002, ATTACHED TO THE RT MAIN GEAR DOWN-LOCK CABLE ASSEMBLY, PN 72682-010 HAD SEIZED PREVENTING THE DOWN LOCK HOOK, PN: 41983-001, FROM CONTACTING INDICATOR MICROSWITCH, PN 487-862. DOWN-LOCK HOOK HAD TRAVELED OVER CENTER, BUT SEIZED BEARING PREVENTED REMAINING APPROXIMATELY .1250" OF TRAVEL NEEDED TO ACTIVATE MICROSWITCH WHICH WAS REQUIRED FOR POSITIVE LOCKED INDICATION IN COCKPIT AND FOR INBD GEAR DOORS TO CLOSE. ROD END WAS REPLACED AND FUNCTIONAL CHECK PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY.

PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF ROLL, ENGINE DID NOT SEEM TO BE PRODUCING FULL POWER AND WASN'T REACHING MAX RPM. TAKEOFF ABORTED AND DURING TAXI TO TERMINAL, PILOT PERFORMED MAGNETO CHECK AT LOW RPM. DETERMINED THAT ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN WHEN LT MAGNETO WAS SELECTED ON IGNITION SWITCH. VISUAL INSPECTION DID NOT REVEAL ANY OBVIOUS REASON FOR FAILURE. REPLACEMENT OF LT MAGNETO CORRECTED ISSUE. FAULTY MAGNETO BEING SENT FOR TEAR DOWN INSPECTION AND OVERHAUL.

PRESENCE OF FUEL NOTED ON AFT PORTION OF NOSE WHEEL FAIRING AS ACFT WAS SHUTDOWN. ON RESTART, STEADY STREAM OF FUEL WAS SEEN LEAKING FROM THE LOWER COWLING, ENGINE ROUGHNESS WAS NOTED, AND FUEL PRESSURE INDICATOR FLUCTUATED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM WHERE THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP ATTACHES TO THE ACCESSORY DRIVE SECTION OF THE ENGINE BETWEEN THE PUMP AND ENGINE MATING SURFACES. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL PUMP SHOWED STAINS AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT LOWER AREA. SUSPECT INTERNAL SEAL FAILURE CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK FROM AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT. REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP ELIMINATED ALL SYMPTOMS.

PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, FELT A SURGING, BUT DID NOT SEE ANY APPRECIABLE INDICATION ON THE RPM, MANIFOLD PRESSURE OR FUEL FLOW INDICATORS. ON DOWNWIND LEG AFTER DEPARTURE, NOTICEABLE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED WITH A CORRESPONDING LOSS OF RPM. PILOT MADE AN IMMEDIATE RETURN AND LANDED AFTER DECLARING AN EMERGENCY TO AVOID FLYING OVER WATER WHILE TRAFFIC ON FINAL WAS LANDING. LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL AND ACFT TAXIED TO PARKING UNDER ITS OWN POWER. MX RUN-UP REVEALED A 500 RPM DROP ON THE LT MAGNETO AND ONE SPARK PLUG FOULED. ATTEMPTS TO RE-TIME LT MAGNETO WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.

PILOT MADE AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO AIRPORT AND UNSCHEDULED LANDING AFTER ENCOUNTERING ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND PARTIAL LOSS OF RPM AT APPROX 500 FEET AGL, AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE SETTING CLIMB POWER AND FUEL FLOW. FUEL FLOW INDICATION ERRATIC, FUEL PRESSURE APPEARED NORMAL. ACFT LANDED SAFELY & TAXIED TO BLOCK UNDER ITS OWN POWER. SHORTLY AFTER LANDING ENGINE APPEARED TO BE RUNNING SMOOTHLY AGAIN. ACFT HAD ACCUMULATED 18 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME OVER PREVIOUS WEEK AND IS REGULARLY FLOWN. INSPECTION OF FUEL STORAGE SYS REVEALED SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER IN SELECTED FUEL TANK (LT TIP TANK), ESTIMATED AT 2-3 TABLESPOONS. INSPECTION OF FUEL CAP ASSEMBLY REVEALED ONE SCREW ATTACHING LOWER METALIC LOCKING PORTION OF CAP ASSEMBLY TO UPPER ASSEMBLY WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO BE SECURED DUE TO STRIPPED THREADS IN UPPER CAP ASSEMBLY. CAP REPLACED WITH A NEW AND ENGINE RAN NORMAL. SEVERAL HIGH SPEED / HIGH POWER GROUND RUNS WERE MADE, WITH ENGINE OPERATING NORMALLY.

DURING INSPECTION FOR COMPLIANCE WITH SB1004 THE E303 CONNECTOR WAS FOUND TO BE BADLY BURNED. THE CONNECTION WAS REPAIRED IAW THE SB. INSPECTOR NOTES THAT THE INITIAL INSP OF EVERY ACFT HAS SHOWN NO COMPLIANCE WITH THIS SB AND ALL SHOW THE SAME BURNING OF THE CONNECTOR.

WHILE SECURING ACFT AFTER FLIGHT, PILOT REPORTED RT MAIN TIRE WAS FLAT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ONE COMPLETE SECTION OF TREAD HAD DEBONDED AND COME OFF OF TIRE AND WRAPPED AROUND MAIN WHEEL FAIRING SUPPORT CAP ON AXLE END, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TUBE VALVE STEM RESULTING IN THE FLAT TIRE. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF THE TIRE BEING FLAT DURING LANDING AND SUBSEQUENT TAXI AND BELIEVES THAT IT DEFLATED AFTER PARKING. THERE IS NO INDICATION OF DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. TIRE WAS A MONSTER RETREAD AND HAD APPROX 20 LANDINGS SINCE INSTALLATION. REPORT INCLUDING PICTURES HAS BEEN EMAILED TO THE MFG TO SEE IF OTHER SIMILAR REPORTS HAVE BEEN MADE.

DURING ANNUAL INSP, A PIECE OF METAL (APP .2500" SQUARE) WAS FOUND IN THE SUCTION SCREEN. INSPECTION REVEALED NR 6 EXHAUST LIFTER BODY WAS MISSING A PIECE WHERE THE HYD TAPPET PLUNGER ASSY INSERTS INTO THE LIFTER BODY. NO REPORTS OF LOSS IN ENGINE PERFORMANCE.

AUTOPILOT. COUPLED APPROACHES RESULT ERRATIC ROLL HUNTING AND/OR OVERCORRECTION AND PITCH UNSTABILITY.

DURING SCHEDULED INSP OF ACFT, DETECTED WHAT APPEARED TO BE SLIGHT TO MODERATE SURFACE CORROSION ON STABILATOR TRIM ACTUATOR ARM ASSY. PROCEEDED TO REMOVE ASSY FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND DURING REMOVAL DISCOVERED LT SIDE OF PLATE THAT ATTACHES TO STABILATOR TRIM TAB HAD SEVERE CORROSION AND BROKE APART DURING REMOVAL OF ATTACHING FASTENERS. CORROSION WAS NOT READILY EVIDENT DUE TO RELATIVELY GOOD CONDITION OF PAINT ON SURFACE OF THE PART.