FLY 4 YOU INC

Operated by Fly 4 You Inc (per NTSB report)

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain during gusty wind and reduced visibility night conditions.

Sanction: $3,000 · case closed 2015-03-20

Part: HYDRAULIC LINE — LEAKING (ZONE 500) · airframe 23,982 hrs · 21,289 cycles

ON DESCENT LT AND RT "HYD LOW FLOW" ANNUNCIATORS START FLICKERING THEN WENT FULLY ON. EXTENDED LANDING GEAR BUT ONLY LT MAIN WENT DOWN AND LOCKED. BLEW THE LANDING GEAR BLOWDOWN BOTTLE, HEARD THE BOTTLE BLOW BUT HAD NO FURTHER DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION. AFTER AIRCRAFT RECOVERY, PUT ON JACKS IN HANGER, CONNECTED HYDRAULIC MULE TO AIRCRAFT. STARTED WITH PRESSURE BACKED OFF AND STEADILY INCREASED PRESSURE TO 500PSI. AT 500PSI NOTED HYDRAULIC LINE P/N 5727002-88 LEAKING FROM A PIN HOLE AND ALSO NOSE LANDING GEAR UPLOCK ACTUATOR SHAFT SEAL LEAKING. SYSTEM PRESSURE IS 1750PSI.

Part: ANTENNA — INFLT SEPARATION (ZONE 300) · airframe 12,130 hrs · 9,364 cycles

DURING CRUISE PHASE OF FLIGHT FROM SNP TO ANC PILOT FELT VIBRATION/BUFFETING AND SLOWED HIS AIRSPEED DOWN AND DESCENDED 2000-3000 FEET IN ALTITUDE THINKING MAYBE HE HIT TURBULENCE. ON DESCENT INTO ANC. PILOT TRIED LISTENING TO #2 COM WITH NO RESULTS AND SWITCHED BACK TO #1 COM. AFTER SHUTDOWN AND DEPLANING IT WAS NOTED THAT THE VERTICAL FIN TIP ANTENNA HAD SEPARATED FROM THE VERTICAL STABILIZER. IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE ANTENNA FIN TIP FAILED AS THE MOUNTING SCREWS WERE STILL INSTALLED IN THE VERTICAL AND ANTENNA COAX CONNECTOR WAS PULLED OFF COAX CABLE. INSPECTED AREA, NO OTHER DAMAGE IN SURROUNDING AREA IS NOTED. REPLACED FIN TIP ANTENNA WITH SERVICEABLE UNIT. TOTAL TIME ON PART COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AND IS

Part: BULKHEAD — CRACKED (BS 235) · airframe 14,784 hrs · 10,240 cycles

LOWER CABIN BULKHEAD AT FS 235.75 FOUND CRACKED IN LIGHTENING HOLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AT FLOOR LEVEL. DUE TO COMPLEXITY OF BENDS AND SHAPE OF FORMED METAL, IT WAS NECESSARY TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE BULKHEAD WITH USED, SERVICEABLE UNIT

Part: BOLT — BROKEN (ZONE 700) · airframe 22,000 hrs · 19,700 cycles

DURING ROUTINE CLEANING AND GENERAL CARE OF THE AIRCRAFT IN THE HANGAR, A RAMP ATTENDANT NOTICED ONE OF THE CLAMPS SECURING THE TAXI LIGHT HARNESS TO THE AFT DRAG BRACE ASSEMBLY WAS LOOSE. IT IS NORMALLY SECURED TO THE NAS 464 BOLT THAT ATTACHED THE FORWARD AND AFT DRAG BRACE TOGETHER. ON FURTHER INSPECTION BY MX PERSONNEL, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE NAS464 BOLT HAD BROKEN IN HALF WITH THE HEAD PORTION HAVING WORKED OUT, AND HANGING BY THE TAXI LIGHT WIRE HARNESS. THE OTHER PORTION OF THE BOLT WAS STILL SECURED IN THE DRAG BRACES, RETAINED BY TENSION. THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE DRAG BRACES IS THAT WHEN THE GEAR IS EXTENDED, THEY ARE HELD IN AN "OVERCENTER" CONDITION BY THE INTERNALLY LOCKING GEAR ACTUATOR. THIS ALLOWS LANDING AND TAXI LOADS TO BE CARRIED BY THE DRAG BRACES INTO THE STRUCTURE INSTEAD OF THE ACTUATOR ITS SELF. THE TOTAL LOSS OF THIS BOLT WOULD CAUSE THE NLG TO COLLAPSE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO KNOWN OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTIES REGARDING THE LANDING GEAR ON THIS AIRPLANE.

Part: CIRCUIT BREAKER — FAILED (COCKPIT) · airframe 10,255 hrs · 7,957 cycles

DURING TAXI-OUT FROM BASE, CAPT. NOTED SMOKE EMITTING FROM LIGHT SWITCH AREA AT THE LOWER LH CONSOLE. THEY TAXIIED BACK HOME BASE UNEVENTFULLY AND HANDED OVER THE AIRCRAFT TO MAINTENANCE. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT THAT THE RH STROBE LIGHT CIRCUIT BREAKER SWITCH DID NOT SHUT THE STROBE LIGHTS OFF WHEN ACTUATED WITH THE BATTERY ON. BATTERIES WERE DISCONNECTED AND AN INSPECTION OF THE RH STROBE LIGHT SYSTEM WAS CONDUCTED. SEVERAL WIRES ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE CIRCUIT WERE DARK WITH A BURNT SMELL, AND A CHAFE TO GROUND WAS NOTED AT THE WINGTIP CONNECTOR TO THE STROBE LIGHTS. THE CB SWITCH WAS SLIGHTLY BULGED FROM OVERHEATING WITH A BURNT SMELL. NO OTHER SYSTEMS WERE MALFUNCTIONING, AND THE AFFECTED WIRES DID NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE SURROUNDING WIRING OR COMPONENTS. THE AFFECTED WIRING WAS REPAIRED OR REPLACED PER MM PRACTICES, ENSURING PROPER CLEARANACE AND CHAFE PROTECTION. THE AFFECTED 7 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER SWITCH WAS REPLACED, AND A SATISFACTORY OPERATIONAL CHECK WAS PERFORMED. TOTAL TIME ON THE AFFECTED CIRCUIT BREAKER SWITCH COULD NOT BE DETERMINED, AND IS ASSUMED TO BE ORIGINAL.

Part: CONNECTOR — SHORTED (EGT COMPENSATOR) · airframe 13,397 hrs · 9,104 cycles

RT ENGINE TQ, EGT, AND FF OSCILLATIONS. DECLARED EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO BASE WITHOUT INCIDENT. MX FOUND CHAFFING WIRES AT EGT COMPENSATOR CONNECTOR. REPAIRED WIRING, PERFORMED GROUND RUNS FOR PERFORMANCE WITH NO DEFECTS AND RETURNED AIRCRAFT TO SERVICE.

Part: GCU — UNKNOWN (LEFT)

DURING A ROUTINE TRAINING FLIGHT THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUTDOWN PER AFM PROCEDURES. THE LEFT BUS CURRENT LIMITER FAILED OPEN AT SOME POINT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF LEFT BUS POWER AND THE INABILITY TO RESTART THE ENGINE DUE TO NO POWER ON THE LEFT BUS. THE CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WIRING WAS INSPECTED AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED, THE OPEN CURRENT LIMITER WAS REPLACED WITH NEW. THE GCU WAS REPLACED FOR BEING SUSPECTED OF NOT OPENING THE LINE CONTACTOR AFTER THE STARTER GENERATOR COULD NOT DEVELOP APPROPRIATE VOLTAGE AS THE ENGINE ROTATIONAL SPEED REDUCED BELOW IDLE SPEED. THE NEWLY INSTALLED GCU WAS ADJUSTED AND PARALLELED IAW THE C441 MM. ADDITIONALLY THE LINE CONTACTOR WAS MONITORED DURING A GROUND OPERATIONS WHILE SHUTTING ENGINE DOWN WITH THE GENERATOR STILL SELECTED TO ON, SIMULATING THE IN FLIGHT OCCURRENCE. THE REPLACEMENT GCU OPENED THE LINE CONTACTOR DURING THE SHUTDOWN. THE REMOVED GCU IS BEING SENT TO REPAIR STATION FOR FUNCTIONAL TEST, IN PARTICULAR FOR LINE CONTACTOR CONTROLLING FUNCTION.

Part: LINE — CONTAMINATED (STATIC) · airframe 14,313 hrs · 12,126 cycles

PILOT SIDE ALTIMETER, VSI, AND AIR SPEED INDICATOR, AND ALTITUDE REPORTING SYSTEM EXPERIENCED UNRELIABLE/INACCURATE INDICATIONS. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE MOISTURE (FREEZING) IN THE PILOTS SIDE STATIC SYSTEM LINE LOCATED IN THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT. OF NOTE THERE WAS NO WATER OR MOISTURE LOCATED IN THE STATIC SYSTEM WATER DRAIN VALVE; THIS VALVE BY DESIGN IS LOCATED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE LINE FOUND TO HAVE WATER IN IT, ADDITIONALLY THE STATIC LINE ROUTING IN THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT IS POSITIONED TO PROVIDE FOR POSITIVE DRAINING. WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW MOISTURE WAS ABLE TO COLLECT IN THE LOW LYING LINE IN THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT. NO PROBLEMS OF THIS TYPE HAVE BEEN NOTED ON THIS, OR OTHER, SAME TYPE MODEL AIRCRAFT IN OUR FLEET.

Part: PUSH-PULL ROD — CORRODED (ELEVATORS)

DUE TO AGING AIRCRAFT CONCERNS THIS OPERATOR HAS EMBARKED ON A FLEET CAMPAIGN TO REMOVE THE ELEVATOR PUSH PULL TUBES FROM THE C441 AIRCRAFT AND SEND THEM OUT FOR AN XRAY INSPECTION. WE HAVE PERFORMED INSPECTIONS ON FOUR TUBES P/N 5815144-204 (ORIGINAL P/N 5815144-17) ONE OF THE FOUR HAVE EXHIBITED CORROSION ON THE INTERNAL SURFACES OF THE TUBE. THESE TUBES ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH ALUMINUM END FITTINGS SECURED INTO A STEEL TUBE; THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO RECOMMENDED INSPECTIONS OF THESE TUBES OTHER THAN EXTERNAL VISUAL. WITH THE C441 FLEET AGE APPROACHING 40 YEARS IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO RECOMMEND X-RAY INSPECTION OF THE TUBES FOR INTERNAL CORROSION.

Part: CYLINDER HEAD — CRACKED (NR 3) · airframe 5,257 hrs

PILOT REPORTED ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AFTER START UP. INVESTIGATION BY MAINTENANCE DETERMINED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE SEAT/VALVE HAD DROPPED OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD. LYCOMING FACTORY OVERHAULED ENGINE WITH 637.5 TSOH, 1646.2 TTSN.

Part: WIRE — BROKEN (NLG WW) · airframe 13,584 hrs · 11,541 cycles

DURING APPROACH TO LAND AFTER SELECTING GEAR DOWN AND COMPLETION OF THE CYCLE, THE NOSE GEAR DOWNLOCK GREEN INDICATOR LAMP FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE IN TRANSIT LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE NOSE GEAR WAS VISIBLE IN THE DOWN POSITION IN THE VIEWING MIRROR. LANDING WAS ABORTED AND AIRCRAFT RETURN TO BASE. AN EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURE WAS FOLLOWED OUT OF CAUTION. AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. A BROKEN WIRE WAS FOUND AT THE RING TERMINAL FOR THE NOSE GEAR DOWNLOCK INDICATOR CIRCUIT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE NOSE GEAR WELL STRUCTURE. THE RING TERMINAL WAS REPLACED, EMERGENCY EXTENSION BOTTLE WAS RESET AND SERVICED, HYDRAULICS SERVICED AND GEAR SWING CHECKS PERFORMED SATISFACTORY.

Part: HSI — SPINNING (CO PILOT'S)

DURING CLIMB OUT, COPILOTS HSI STARTED SPINNING RAPIDLY. RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: LAMP — BURNED OUT (INDICATOR) · airframe 19,262 hrs · 17,624 cycles

ON TAXI TO TAKE-OFF, ENGINE IGNITION ON LIGHT BURNED OUT. AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE BLOCK, RELAMPED LIGHT AND RELEASED AIRCRAFT.

Part: MAGNETO — WORN (RT ENGINE) · airframe 8,246 hrs

PILOT WENT TO DEPART AND COULD NOT GET THE RT ENGINE TO START. MAINTENANCE WAS DISPATCHED TO THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND THE POINTS ON THE RT ENGINE LT MAG WERE NOT OPENING. REPLACED POINTS, TIMED ENGINE AND RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: WIRE — SHORTED (ZONE 600) · airframe 7,299 hrs · 7,149 cycles

RT ENGINE TORQUE INDICATOR WENT TO REDLINE ON TAKEOFF CAUSING THE ENGINE COMPUTER TO REDUCE POWER BECAUSE IT SENSED AN OVER TORQUE SITUATION. THE INDICATION WAS FAULTY AND THERE WAS NOT AN OVER TORQUE ISSUE. INSPECTION OF THE WIRES AT THE TORQUE TRANSDUCER REVEALED A SHORTED WIRE. REPAIRED WIRING AND OPS CHECKED INDICATING SYSTEM.

Part: ALTERNATOR — FAILED (RT ENGINE) · airframe 15,211 hrs

DURING CRUISE THE RT ALTERNATOR FAILED AND THE PILOT RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: MAGNETO — FAULTY (RT ENGINE) · airframe 14,946 hrs

DURING CLIMB OUT, PILOT NOTICED THE RT ENG RPM WAS SLIGHTLY FLUCTUATING. RETURNED TO BASE & NOTIFIED MX WHO RAN THE AFFECTED ENG & NOTICED THE LT MAGNETO HAD AN INTERMITTENT MISS. MAGNETO WAS REPLACED, GND RUN & LEAK CHECK WAS PERFORMED & ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.

Part: CONTROLLER — BURST (ZONE 600) · airframe 8,150 hrs

RIGHT ENG DURING TAKEOFF ROLL BEGAN TO SURGE. PILOT ABORTED TAKEOFF & RETURNED TO RAMP. REPLACED DENSITY CONTROLLER, RAN ACFT FOR OPERATIONS & LEAK CHECK. RETURNED ACFT TO SERVICE.

Part: DOWNLOCK SWITCH — FAULTY (LT MLG) · airframe 14,670 hrs

LANDING GEAR DID GIVE A DOWN LOCK INDICATION ON THE LT MLG. PILOT PERFORMED TOWER FLY-BY & TOWER CONFIRMED ALL THREE LG VISIBLE. PILOT THEN MADE A HIGH SPEED PRECAUTIONARY LANDING & CONFIRMED ALL THREE LG DOWN & LOCKED. PILOT THEN LANDED THE ACFT.

Part: FILTER — CLOGGED (FUEL CONTROL) · airframe 11,853 hrs · 10,113 cycles

DURING TAXI FOR TAKEOFF, LT ENGINE FUEL COMPUTER TRIPPED OFFLINE. THE ENGINE RPMS THEN BEGAN TO DECAY AND THE LT GENERATOR DROPPED OFF LINE. PILOT SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE, PERFORMED A RESTART AND RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: CONNECTOR — SHORTED (FUEL SYSTEM) · airframe 6,419 hrs · 6,428 cycles

RIGHT ENG WOULD NOT START. START CONTROL CB POPPED, SHORT FOUND IN THE PRIMARY FUEL NOZZLE SOLENOID CONNECTOR. REPLACED SAME, OPERATIONS CHECKED GOOD.

Part: FUEL CAP — LEAKING (RT WING) · airframe 14,198 hrs

ON CLIMB RIGHT INBOARD FUEL CAP LEAKING FUEL. RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: ENGINE — FLAMED OUT (RIGHT) · airframe 11,254 hrs · 9,570 cycles

RIGHT ENGINE FLAMED OUT ON CLIMBOUT OF ANC. PLIOT SECURED THE ENGINE AND RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: ALTERNATOR — DAMAGED (LT ENGINE) · airframe 14,121 hrs

LEFT ALTERNATOR ANNUCIATOR LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER IN CRUISE. LOAD METER SHOWED NO LOAD BEING CARRIED. A/C RETURNED TO BASE. MAINTENANCE REPAIRED BROKEN WIRE AT ALTERNATOR.

Part: DOOR SEAL — COLLAPSED (DOOR) · airframe 17,222 hrs · 16,105 cycles

DURING CLIMBOUT AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE. RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: PROBE — MALFUNCTIONED (RT CHT) · airframe 7,089 hrs

CHT GAUGE IN COCKPIT PEGGED HIGH. ALL OTHER INDICATIONS NORMAL. ACFT RETURNED TO BASE. CHT PROBE FOUND TO HAVE AN OPEN CIRCUIT.

Part: WASTEGATE VALVE — STUCK (TURBOCHARGER) · airframe 13,784 hrs

PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF TURBOCHARGER BOOST AND LOSS OF L/H EMERGENCY BOOST PUMP PRESSURE DURING CRUISE. ALSO REPORTED ENGINE BOOST AND FUEL PUMP OPERATIONS RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER 5 MINUTES. INSPECTION AND GROND RUN OF AIRCRAFT NORMAL. SUSPECT WASTEGATE MIGHT HAVE STUCK. CAUSE OF FUEL PUMP FAILURE UNKNOWN AS OF THIS REPORT. ACFT NOT RELEASED FOR RETURN TO FLIGHT AT THIS TIME.

Part: TIRE — FLAT (NLG) · airframe 13,932 hrs · 9,979 cycles

NOSE TIRE WENT FLAT ON LANDING. PULLED ONTO TAXIWAY AND STOPPED.

Part: TURBOCHARGER — FAILED (ENGINE) · airframe 6,781 hrs

TURBOCHARGER FAILED AND LEAKED OIL FROM THE SUPPLY SIDE THROUGH THE TURBO SEAL TO THE EXHAUST SIDE.

Part: TIRE — FLAT (NLG) · airframe 13,316 hrs

NOSE TIRE WENT FLAT ON LANDING. AIRCRAFT TAXIED OFF OF RUNWAY ONTO TAXIWAY AND STOPPED.