RENTER PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT REFUSED TO FLY THE ACFT BACK TO HOME BASE DUE TO A LOW MAIN LNDG GEAR STRUT.
Synopsis
RENTER PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT REFUSED TO FLY THE ACFT BACK TO HOME BASE DUE TO A LOW MAIN LNDG GEAR STRUT.
Narrative
ON SEP/SUN/93 A RENTER PLT CALLED AND THE CALL WAS TAKEN BY A FULL TIME INSTRUCTOR. THE RENTER SAID THAT HE WAS IN NAPLES; FL (APPROX 1 HR AWAY) AND THAT A STRUT WAS LOW ON ONE SIDE AND WOULD NOT FLY IT. LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE RENTER HAD HIS LICENSE FOR 5 WKS. THE FULL TIME INSTRUCTOR CONTACTED THE WKEND FULL TIME INSTRUCTOR IN CHARGE. THIS INSTRUCTOR ASKED ME TO GO WITH ONE OF OUR LINE MEN (WHO IS A PLT) IN ANOTHER PLANE AND BRING BACK THE RENTER IN THE 2ND ACFT AND I SHOULD FLY THE RENTER PLANE BACK. ON PREFLTING THE PLANE I WAS TO BRING BACK I FOUND L STRUT VERY HIGH AND R STRUT LOW. PLANE WAS FLOWN BACK TO BOCA WITHOUT A PROB. THIS NEW PLT FELT I DID WRONG AND NOTIFIED THE LCL FORT LAUDERDALE DISTRICT OFFICE OF THE FAA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE FAA DID FOLLOW UP WITH AN INVESTIGATION BUT FOUND THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT UNAIRWORTHY. THE RPTR FURTHER STATED THAT THE RENTER PLT DID NOT SEEM TO WANT TO LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND FLY THE ACFT BACK TO BASE FOR FURTHER EXPERIENCE. IT APPEARED THAT THE RENTER PLT DID NOT WANT TO HAVE FURTHER CHARGES FOR ACFT RENTAL! COMPANY MAINT DID PUT MORE AIR IN THE LOW STRUT FOR RECOMMENDED STRUT INFLATION.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.