PA-30/​39Twin Comanche

Parts most often named Control Cable (2) · Gearbox (2) · Structure (1) · Push-Pull Rod (1)

(CAN) AFTER TAKEOFF, THE LANDING GEAR WAS SLOW TO RETRACT. WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WAS SELECTED DOWN, IT ONLY PARTIALLY EXTENDED AND STOPPED. RECYCLING WAS INEFFECTIVE. THE CREW DID A MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION, THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR BRUSHES WERE FOUND QUITE WORN, 1 BRUSH WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND HAD WORN INTO THE ARMATURE CAUSING THE MOTOR TO FAIL.

THE GEARBOX CASTING WHICH SUPPORTS THE MOTOR AND GEARBOX FRACTURED. VISUAL EXAMINATION INDICATES FATIGUE. DUE TO THIS FAILURE, THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND DURING LANDING.

(CAN) RT MAIN GEAR CONDUIT FLEXIBLE OUTER SLEEVE MOVED WITH INNER CABLE EXPOSING 11.0 INCHES OF INNER CABLE. INNER CABLE LOOPED OUT OF EXPOSED AREA. NOW WITH CABLE BEING BENT RT GEAR COULD NOT OVER CENTER FOR DOWN AND LOCKED.

Parts most often named Hub (11) · Screws (1) · Propeller (1) · Bushing (1)

(CAN) UPON DISASSEMBLY AND VISUAL INSP OF THE ABOVE HUB, THE PRELOAD SHELFS WERE FOUND TO CONTAIN VISUAL DAMAGE FROM PREVIOUS IMPACT. ACCORDING TO PROP MANUAL 202A VOLUME 6 CHAPTER 1, SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS,(CURRENT REVISION 29), ANY HUB CONTAINING SIGNS OF PRELOAD SHELF DAMAGE IS CAUSE FOR AUTOMATIC REJECTION OF THE HUB. (TC 20100217006)

PROPELLER REMOVED FROM AIRCRAFT FOR 10 YR O/H. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION OF HUB, CORROSION BEYOND REPAIRABLE LIMITS WAS FOUND IN THE BLADE 'O' RING GROOVES. MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED TBO IS 2000 HRS OR 72 MONTHS. THIS PROPELLER HAS EXCEEDED THE CALENDAR TBO BY 48 MONTHS.

(CAN) PROPELLER REMOVED FROM AC FOR 10 YR. O/H. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE HUB CORROSION WAS FOUND ON THE MOUNTING FLANGE AND O-RING GROOVE OF THE REAR HUB HALF. THIS CORROSION IS BEYOND REPAIRABLE LIMITS. MANUFACTURERS RECCOMENDED TBO IS 2000 HOURS OR 72 MONTHS. THIS PROPELLER HAS EXCEDED THE RECOMMENDED CALENDAR TBO BY 48 MONTHS.

Parts most often named Split Bearing (6) · Bolt (4) · Pitch Change Rod (2) · Seal (1)

(CAN) PILOT NOTICED ENGINE SEEPING FROM LT ENGINE COWL, THEY WERE NEAR THE AIRPORT AND DECIDED TO SHUTDOWN LT ENGINE TO PREVENT ENGINE DAMAGE. IT WAS DETERMINED ON THE GROUND BY MAINTENANCE THAT THE LT PROP SEAL HAD BLOWN DUE TO A FROZEN BREATHER. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT PROBLEM RESULTED FROM AN EXTREME DROP IN TEMPERATURE CAUSING ANY MOISTURE IN THE BREATHER FROM PREHEAT TO FREEZE. PROP SEAL WAS REPLACED AND TEST FLIGHT SUCCESSFUL.

Parts most often named Bolt (12)

DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION THE STABILATOR WAS REMOVED FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THIS IS DUE TO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS ON OTHER PA24 AND PA30/39 AIRCRAFT WITH STABILATOR TORQUE TUBE AND ATTACHMENT BOLTS WITH EXCESSIVE CORROSION. BOTH BOLTS AN175C33A THAT ATTACHES THE STABILATOR HORN ASSY TOT THE TORQUE TUBE WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. ALSO CORRODED WERE THE FOLLOWING BOLTS: AN24-46A (400-932), AN174-22A (402-321). TT 4542

DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION STABILATOR WAS REMOVED FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THIS IS DUE TO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS ON OTHER PA24 AND PA30 AIRCRAFT WITH STABILATOR TORQUE TUB AND ATTACHMENT BOLTS WITH EXCESSIVE CORROSION. BOTH BOLTS (PN AN175C33A) THAT ATTACHES THE STABILATOR HORN ASSEMBLY TO THE TORQUE TUBE WERE SEVERLY CORRODED. HORN ASSEMBLY, TOTAL AIRFRAME APPROXIMATELY 7565.0. NO INDICATION THAT STABILATOR HAD BEEN REMOVED PREVIOUSLY. (SW15200210914)

Parts most often named Cylinder (4) · Piston (1) · Exhaust Valve (1) · Piston Pin (1)

(CAN) THE CORROSION ON THE PISTON PIN WAS FOUND WHEN CYLINDER NR 1 WAS REMOVED FOR AN INTAKE VALVE LEAK. THE PISTON PIN WAS CHECKED AND FOUND WITH DEEP CORROSION PITS ON THE PIN SURFACE. THE OTHER 3 CYLINDERS WERE THEN REMOVED TO CHECK THE REMAINING PISTON PINS FOR CORROSION. THESE PINS WERE FOUND WITH CORROSION THROUGH THE SURFACE ALSO. THE CAM SHAFT AND LIFTERS WERE INSPECTED FOR CORROSION AND NONE WAS FOUND. ALL 4 PISTON PINS WERE REPLACED.

DURING FLIGHT, PILOT HEARD BANG AND NOTICED DIMINISHED POWER. PILOT LANDED WITH BOTH ENGINES RUNNING. ON GROUND, INSPECTION FOUND ''O'' COMPRESSION ON LEFT ENGINE, NR 2 CYLINDER. ON FURTHER INSPECTION, TOP OF EXHAUST VALVE WAS SHEARED OFF STEM. STEM WAS STILL IN PLACE, VALVE WAS GONE, CYLINDERS AND PISTONS WERE BADLY GOUGED. (X)

(CAN) NO INDICATION AT COMPRESSION TEST OR IN OIL FILTER BUT OIL WOULD NOT DRAINFROM THE SUCTION SCREEN. PIECES OF PISTON SKIRT FOUND WHEN SUMP REMOVED.

Parts most often named Trunnion (3) · Strut (2) · Housing (1) · Axle Nut (1)

LEFT MAIN STRUT CRACKED AT THE AFT WEB AT THE HOLE DRILLED FOR THE SQUAT SWITCH BRACKETRY ATTACHMENT TO THE STRUT. THERE WAS FLUID AND NITROGEN (AIR) LEAKAGE THROUGH THE CRACK.

ACFT ENCOUNTERED A SLIGHTLY HARDER-THAN-NORMAL LANDING. ON PARKING, IT WAS NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS ON THE GROUND BELOW THE RT MAIN GEAR. JACKING THE ACFT, CLEANED AND INSPECTED THE STRUT FOR ANYTHING OBVIOUS. DISASSEMBLED, RESEALED AND REASSEMBLED THE LOWER STRUT. DURING LOWERING THE GEAR AND [S/N removed] THE NITROGEN, THAT`S WHEN THE LEAK WAS READILY APPARENT.

RIGHT SIDE MAIN LANDING GEAR UPPER HOUSING CRACKED FROM BOLT HOLE WHERE BROKE LINE ATTACHES INTO THE INNER MOST AREA OF THE STRUT 1 INCH LONG ON EACH SIDE. LEAKING FLUID. POTENTIAL COMPLETE SEPARATION OF GEAR LEG.

Parts most often named Spar (3) · Spar Cap (3)

(AUS) LH WING INBOARD SPAR LOWER SPAR CAP ASSEMBLY SEVERELY CORRODED. CORROSION IS INITIATED BY INGRESS OF EXHAUST GASSES THROUGH A FUEL DRAIN HOLE IN A PANEL FORWARD OF THE SPAR. THE FUEL DRAIN IS PART OF CANCELLED AD/PA30&39/20.

(AUS) LH AND RH WING LOWER FORWARD SPAR CAPS CONTAINED SEVERE EXFOLIATION CORROSION IN AREA LOCATED AT WS 62 DUE TO ENGINEEXHAUST GASSES. AT LEAST 10% OF THE SPAR CAP MATERIAL IS AFFECTED BUT CAN ONLY BE SEEN WITH THE FUEL TANK BAYS REMOVED.

(AUS) LH WING SPAR CONTAINED LIGHT CORROSION AND MINOR PITTING LOCATEDIN AREA JUST ABOVE LOWER SPAR CAP RADIUS. AREA OF CORROSION APPROXIMATELY 25MM (1IN) LONG BY 6MM (0.236IN) WIDE. FOUND DURING INSPECTION IAW AWB51-4.

Parts most often named Crankcase (2) · Gear (1) · Camshaft (1) · Crankshaft (1)

(CAN) DURING 100 HR INSPECTION FOUND ALTERNATOR MOUNTING BRACKET AND BOLTS WORN CAUSING A VIBRATION WHICH BROKE ALTERNATOR TIGHTENER MOUNTING BOLT AND CRACKED CRANKCASE BOSS AT THIS LOCATION. ALTERNATOR MOUNTING BOLTS AND ALTERNATOR MOUNTING ATTACH HOLES SEVERELY WORN AND FOUND ALTERNATOR LOOSE ON MOUNTING BRACKET.

WHILE CLIMBING OUT OF 4,000 FT, RT ENGINE (2-23-05) SHUTTERED AND BEGAN VIBRATING EXCESSIVELY. RETURNED TO AIRPORT. INSPECTION REVEALED THE CAMSHAFT HAD BROKEN COMPLETELY INTO 2 PIECES, ENGINE REMOVED AND SENT TO REPAIR FACILITY FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. ENGINE TT SINCE O/H 100 HOURS. AUTHORISED RELEASE FORM SHOWED NEW PART RELEASED ON APRIL 25, 2002. (K)

DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION, OIL LEAK NOTED AT CRANKCASE AREA FORWARD OF NR2 CYLINDER. AFTER CLEANING AN OBVIOUS 1.5 IN CRACK WAS NOTED. ENGINE WAS REMOVED FOR REPAIRS. LT ENGINE TSMOH 1098.41, 1992 FIREWALL FORWARD, INC.

Parts most often named Stud (2) · Trunnion (2) · Landing Gear (1)

RIGHT MLG TRUNNION, PN: 20752-09 PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED, IS CRACKED AT THE UPPER END OF THE WELD WHERE IT MEETS THE BARREL, IT HAS STARTED CRACKING INTO THE BARREL.

Parts most often named Shutoff Valve (1) · Exhanger (1) · Exhaust (1) · Brushes (1)

HEATER SHUTOFF VALVE LEAKED SIGNIFICANT FUEL THROUGH ITS STEM ANYTIME THE VALVE WAS NOT IN THE FULLY OPEN POSITION. WHILE IN THE OFF POSITION FUEL WOULD POOL IN THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT, WITH SOME FUEL ENTERING THE CABIN AND SOAKING THE CARPET AT THE RUDDER PEDALS ON THE COPILOT SIDE. THE VALVE STEM ASSEMBLY WAS NOT FOUND TO BE LOSE DESPITE ABSENCE OF LOCKING DEVICE. NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION A-74-87 & 88 DETAILS SIMILAR FAILURES.

VALVE FOUND LEAKING AFTER LANDING. FUEL HAD TRAVELED DOWN FORWARD BULKHEAD IN NOSE SECTION AND FOUND ITS WAY INSIDE AIRCRAFT BETWEEN BELLY SKINS AND GATHERED IN GEAR TRANSMISSION COMPARTMENT. O-RING IS EXPECTED TO HOLD BACK DIRECT FUEL PRESSURE OF 26 POUNDS WHEN VALVE IS OPEN. VALVE SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH MORE MODERN DESIGN. HAVE FOUND OTHERS WHERE PACKING NUT WAS NOT DRILLED FOR SAFETY WIRE. PACKING NUT SUBJECT TO ROTATION.

(CAN) DURING CLIMB, SMOKE AND SPARKS WERE NOTICED COMING FROM THE VENTILATION DUCTS AND FROM THE NOSE ACCESS PANEL. FOUND VENT BLOWER MOTOR AND RELATED WIRING BURNT, INSPECTION OF MOTOR FOUND BRUSHES COMPLETELY WORN OUT ALLOWING TENSION SPRINGS TO CONTACT COMMUTATOR. BLOWER MOTOR AND RELATED WIRING REPLACED.