FLC OF ATX LTT JET ACFT OPERATED ACFT WHEN IT DID NOT MEET AIRWORTHINESS REQUIREMENTS.

1993-02 · NASA ASRS report 234533

Date: 1993-02 · Aircraft: Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-other-unknown|other-unspecified

Synopsis

FLC OF ATX LTT JET ACFT OPERATED ACFT WHEN IT DID NOT MEET AIRWORTHINESS REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative

ON TKOF ROLL INTO QUITO ECUADOR; AT A SPD OF 135 KTS; OUR COMPUTED V1 SPD FOR THIS TKOF; WE HEARD A BANG; AND THE ACFT VEERED L. WITH R RUDDER DEFLECTION; THE DIRECTIONAL CTL WAS MAINTAINED; THE ACFT LIFTED OFF; AND A CLBOUT WAS INITIATED. AT POSITIVE RATE OF CLB; THE GEAR HANDLE WAS RAISED; BUT THE GEAR REMAINED DOWN. UPON REACHING A SAFE ALT; THE GEAR WAS CYCLED A FEW TIMES TO NO AVAIL. DUE TO THE FIELD ELEVATION AT QUITO (9223 FT); THE HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN; AND IT BEING IMC; WE DECIDED ON AN ALTERNATE ARPT. WE WERE UNABLE TO GET WX FOR GUAYAYQUIL ECUADOR; WE OPTED FOR PANAMA CITY; PANAMA. THIS ARPT WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE IT WAS KNOWN TO BE VMC. THEY HAD A 10000 FT RWY; WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT; WE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL TO MAKE PANAMA. IT WAS THE NEXT CLOSEST ARPT ON OUR RTE OF FLT; THEIR EMER EQUIP WOULD HAVE PLENTY OF NOTICE; AND THEY HAD GOOD HOSPITAL FACILITIES FOR THE PATIENT ONBOARD OUR ACFT. A PHONE PATCH WAS SENT THROUGH NY ARINC TO ARRANGE FOR OUR ARR. PANAMA WAS; IN THE CREW'S REGARD; THE SAFEST ARPT FOR LNDG. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL; AND THE PATIENT BROUGHT TO THE HOSPITAL. UPON INSPECTING THE ACFT; THE 2 MAIN WHEELS ON THE L SIDE HAD BLOWN; ALSO DAMAGING THE RIMS AND BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. THE L HAND SQUAT SWITCH WAS DAMAGED; AND THERE WERE A FEW DINGS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE WING. AN A&P MECH WAS SENT DOWN TO PANAMA WITH TOOLS AND THE REQUIRED PARTS TO FIX THE ACFT. UPON COMPLETION OF THE JOB; THE DISCREPANCIES WRITTEN UP ABOUT THE BRAKES WERE SIGNED OFF AS COMPLETED. A PANAMANIAN MECH ALSO INSPECTED THE ACFT AND SIGNED IT OFF AS WELL. DUE TO INADEQUATE FACILITIES IN PANAMA; WE WERE UNABLE TO SWING THE GEAR; SO WE DECIDED TO FLY TO FLL WITH THE GEAR DOWN. A CALL WAS MADE TO SEE IF A FERRY PERMIT WAS NEEDED. THEY SAID THE ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY WITH THE SIGNOFF FROM THE MECH; AND A FERRY PERMIT WAS NOT NECESSARY. ON FURTHER INSPECTION BY THE FLC AND MECHS; THE SAME CONCLUSION WAS REACHED. THE ITEMS WRITTEN UP WERE SIGNED OFF; SO WITH THAT FACT; WE PREPARED THE ACFT FOR DEP. DUE TO THE LOWER ALT FLOWN; AS WELL AS A LOWER AIRSPD; A FUEL STOP WAS MADE IN GRAND CAYMEN. THE FLT TO AND LNDG IN GRAND CAYMEN WERE UNEVENTFUL. THE ACFT WAS REFUELED; AND WE THEN DEPARTED FOR OUR FINAL DEST; FLL; WHERE INSPECTION OF THE LNDG GEAR WAS TO TAKE PLACE. THE FLT TO AND LNDG IN FLL WERE UNEVENTFUL. THE NEXT DAY; THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED FURTHER IN INADEQUATE FACILITIES; AND THE COMPANY DECIDED THE BEST PLACE TO DO THE REPAIR WORK ON THE ACFT WOULD BE AT FACILITIES IN WICHITA; KS. THE OWNER'S SON WAS TO BE THE PIC ON THE ACFT. THE OWNER'S SON HAD COME DOWN WITH THE MECH TO HELP FIX THE ACFT; AND FLEW HOME ON THE ACFT AND ALSO MADE A VISUAL WALK AROUND OF THE ACFT; AND FOUND IT TO BE IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION. ON FEB/WED/93; HE; NOT ASKING; OR TELLING ANYONE; APPLIED FOR A FERRY PERMIT FOR THE ACFT. UPON INVESTIGATING THE NECESSARY INFO FOR THE FERRY PERMIT; THE FAA WANTED TO KNOW WHERE THE DAMAGE TO THE GEAR HAPPENED; AND WHY THEY ARE APPLYING FOR A FERRY PERMIT NOW; AND WHY THEY DID NOT APPLY FOR ONE FROM MPTO-MWCR- FLL. THE CREW HAD A MEETING WITH THE FAA; SHOWED THEM THE FLT LOG; THE SIGNOFFS FROM THE MECHS; AND THE FLT INTERRUPTION RPT FILLED OUT BY THE PIC; TO HIS CHIEF PLT. THE FAA THEN STATED THAT WE WERE IN VIOLATION OF FLT WITHOUT AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE; BECAUSE WE FLEW THE PLANE WITH THE GEAR DOWN; WHICH VOIDED THE ACFT'S AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE ON BOARD THE ACFT. THIS IS THE REASON FOR MY FILING THIS RPT.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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