SP Air Corporation

The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage during landing.

Part: CALIPER — LOCKED (LT MLG BRAKE) · airframe 7,156 hrs

PISTON IN LH BRAKE CALIPER LOCKED IN PLACE CAUSING THE BRAKE TO DRAG, PILOT ABORTED TAKE OFF TO CHECK BRAKES. WE BELIEVE THIS WAS CAUSED BY WORN BRAKE PADS. NO EMERGENCY MEASURES TAKEN. NO SBS, ADS, ICAS OR STCS APPLY. BRAKE PADS WERE WITHIN TOLERANCE, BUT WE BELIEVE REPLACING THEM SOONER SHOULD PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING.

Part: DOOR — BUCKLED (LANDING GEAR) · airframe 4,015 hrs

LT GEAR DOOR BUCKED IN FLIGHT. SUSPECT GEAR DOOR WAS DAMAGED DUE TO OVERSPEED. NO WORK RECENTLY PERFORMED ON LANDING GEAR. NO EMERGENCY ACTIONS TAKEN. NO APPLICABLE ADS, SBS, STCS OR ICAS. SUGGEST VISUAL INSPECTION OF ADHESIVE ATTACHING STRUCTOR TO DOOR EVERY 50HRS OR AFTER SUSPECTED/REPORTED GEAR OVERSPEED.

Part: BOLT — MISSING (NLG) · airframe 3,400 hrs

NOSE GEAR CAME LOOSE FROM NOSE GEAR FORK. NOSE GEAR BOLT FORK FOUND TO BE MISSING. NO WORK RECENTLY PERFORMED ON NOSE GEAR. NO EMERGENCY MEASURES TAKEN. NO ADS, SBS, STCS OR ICA'S APPLY. BOLT WAS NOT FOUND POST EVENT. SUGGEST PREFLIGHT INSPECTION TO ENSURE BOLT IS SECURE AND IN PLACE.

Part: PROPELLER — DETACHED · airframe 10,512 hrs

LEFT PROPELLER DEPARTED AIRCRAFT DURING CLIMBOUT. NO PRIOR INDICATION OF PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY PILOT

Part: CYLINDER HEAD — SEPARATED (ENGINE)

PILOT REPORTED LOUD BANG ON CLIMBOUT. RETURNED WITHOUT INCIDENT TO FIELD. UPON EXAMINATION FOUND NR 4 CYLINDER HEAD SEPARATED FROM CYLINDER AT 5TH COOLING FIN ON HEAD. ENGINE TSO AND CYLINDER TSN 817.6 HRS. LAST COMPRESSION CHECK WAS AT 100 HR INSPECTION 19.2 HRS PRIOR WITH COMPRESSION 69/80.

Part: CIRCUIT BREAKER — INOPERATIVE (BREAKER PANEL)

PILOT DEPARTED BOISE, NOTICED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND RETURNED FOR LANDING. ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER FAILED (DUE TO AGE). NO OTHER DAMAGE FOUND. (X)

Part: HINGE — CRACKED (LT OTBD AILERON)

THE LT AND RT OUTBOARD AILERON HINGES WERE FOUND CRACKED AT THE LOWER MOUNTING FLANGE AREA. SUBMITTER ASSUMES FATIGUE AS CAUSE AND RECOMMENDS CAREFUL INSPECTION OF HINGE THROUGH THE TRAILING EDGE FALSE SPAR.

Part: HINGE — CRACKED (RT OTBD AILERON)

THE LT AND RT OUTBOARD AILERON HINGES WERE FOUND CRACKED AT THE LOWER MOUNTING FLANGE AREA. SUBMITTER ASSUMES FATIGUE AS CAUSE AND RECOMMENDS CAREFUL INSPECTION OF HINGE THROUGH THE TRAILING EDGE FALSE SPAR.

Part: EXHAUST — HOLED (AFT ELBOW)

FOUND SMALL HOLE IN CENTER OF THE LT EXHAUST AFT ELBOW WHILE C/W AD 75-23-08R5, EFFECTIVE DATE 11-4-86. THIS PART HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON THIS C-340 L.A.W. RAM STC SA234SW. SAID PART IS LISTED IN TABLE III OF AD 75-23-08R5 AS AN EXEMPT COMPONENT PER PART I(A). SUBMITTER RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO EXCLUDE THIS PART FROM THE EXEMPT LIST.

Part: MOUNT — CRACKED (ENG)

DURING INSPECTION OF ENGINE MOUNT AFTER ENGINE REMOVAL FOR OVERHAUL, CRACKS WERE FOUND AT BOTH FORWARD ENGINE MOUNTING BRACKET LOCATIONS. SUSPECT THAT CRACKS ARE DUE TO FATIGUE. CRACKS ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE WITH THE ENGINE INSTALLED DUE TO THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE RUBBER MOUNTING PADS. RECOMMEND CLOSE INSPECTION OF THIS AREA AT ANNUAL INSPECTIONS.