PrivateFlite Aviation LLC

Part: MOTOR — OVERHEATED (ACM) · airframe 7,827 hrs · 6,340 cycles

DURING GROUND OPERATION PRIOR TO TAXI THE AIR-CONDITIONING FAILED AND AN ODOR WAS OBSERVED IN THE CABIN. THE AIR-CONDITIONING WAS SELECTED OFF THE AIRCRAFT WAS SWAPPED WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT FOR THE FLIGHT. THE COMPRESSOR DRIVE MOTOR WAS FOUND TO BE OVERHEATED AND WOULD NOT TURN ELECTRICALLY.

Part: TUBE — CRACKED (ZONE 400) · airframe 7,437 hrs · 6,034 cycles

CREW REPORTED UNCOMMANDED FUEL BOOST PUMP TURNED ON IN FLIGHT FOR LEFT ENGINE. AN INCREASING FUEL IMBALANCE WAS NOTED AND AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED WITH A SAFE LANDING. MAINTENANCE OBSERVATION DETERMINED THAT CESSNA/TEXTRON P/N 6555013-4 TUBE ASSEMBLY HAD CRACKED ALLOWING 'MOTIVE-FLOW" FUEL PRESSURE TO EXPEL INTO THE LEFT ENGINE COWLING. WITH THE LOSS OF MOTIVE-FLOW, THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEM BY DESIGN TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP TO SUPPLY FUEL TO THE ENGINE TO PRECLUDE ENGINE SHUT-DOWN. IN THIS SCENARIO, DUE TO THE 'OPENING' OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SYSTEM AND CONTINUING FUEL PRESSURE LEAK, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE ENGINE COWLING SYSTEM ALLOWED FOR THE INSIDE TO BECOME A RESERVOIR/CONTAINMENT FOR THE FUEL. THIS IS BACKED BY THE FLIGHT CREW OBSERVATION THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FIREWALL CUT-OFF VALVES WERE IN THE CUT-OFF POSITION, THE ENGINE COWLING CONTINUED TO LEAK "BUCKETS" OF FUEL WELL AFTER LANDING. FURTHER, MAINTENANCE OBSERVATION DETERMINED THAT THE ENTIRE BOTTOM HALF OF THE ENTIRE POWERPLANT APPEARED WET/SOAKED WITH FUEL. POWERPLANT WAS DRIED, THE PART REPLACED WITH NEW, THE LEFT FUEL SYSTEM SERVICED WITH 135 GALLONS OF FUEL TO MATCH THE OTHER SIDE. AIRCRAFT WAS GROUND OPERATIONS AND LEAK CHECKED AND FOUND SATISFACTORY. THIS SUBMITTER IS OF THE OPINION THAT THERE IS A FLEET DESIGN ISSUE DUE TO THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF THIS PART, THE CONNECTING HOSE ATTACHMENT/ROUTING AND NORMAL AIRCRAFT VIBRATION. THIS INFORMATION WILL HAVE A FOLLOW ON MALFUNCTION AND DEFECT REPORT DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS ISSUE.

Part: UNKNOWN — MALFUNCTIONED (LANDING GEAR) · airframe 5,376 hrs · 4,554 cycles

CREW REPORTED UN-COMMANDED NOSE GEAR DEPLOY/DROP AFTER LEVEL OFF FROM KJVY TO KLEX. CREW SELECTED 'GEAR DOWN" AND NOTED ALL GEAR INDICATORS TO BE IN THE DOWN/LOCKED CONDITION. CREW LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT KLEX. A 'FERRY PERMIT" WAS OBTAINED. AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED FOR SAFE OPERATION. AIRCRAFT WAS POSITIONED BACK TO HOME BASE AT KJVY PER LIMITATIONS OF PERMIT. AIRCRAFT WAS PLACED ON JACKS. GEAR WAS INSPECTED AND OPERATIONS CHECKED MANY TIMES WITH NO ISSUES TO NOTE. AIRCRAFT WAS DOWN JACKED AND PREPPED FOR POSITION FLIGHT TO KIND VIA SECOND "FERRY PERMIT" FOR FURTHER EVALUATION AT A FACTORY SERVICE CENTER. AIRCRAFT WAS AGAIN JACKED AND EVALUATED WITH NO ISSUES TO REPORT IN REGARD TO UN-COMMANDED DROP. OTHER MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON AIRCRAFT WHILE AS SERVICE CENTER AND AIRCRAFT WAS APPROVED FOR RETURN TO SERVICE. AIRCRAFT HAS OPERATED SINCE MAINTENANCE AND HAS OPERATED SATISFACTORILY.