SAIB NE-05-33

SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

NE-05-33 February 16, 2005 www.faa.gov/certification/aircraft This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts all owners and operators of any McCauley propeller models, that Brothers Aero Services Company (BASCO), Air Agency Number B4TR903J, located in Opa- Locka, Florida, performed improper overhauls and maintenance. Our investigation shows the affected propellers may be installed on, but not limited to, the following Cessna airplanes:

Cessna Models 310P 320F 401 414A 310Q 335 401A 421B 310R 340 401B T310P 320D 340A 414 T310Q

Background

The FAA has revoked BASCO’s Air Agency Certificate because of improper overhauls and maintenance on Hartzell model propellers.

We have disassembled and inspected more BASCO overhauled propellers including McCauley model propellers. We found improper rework, cracks, and corrosion in these propellers. These conditions can propagate to fatigue cracks, then component failure (i.e. blade or pitch change component failure), and possible loss of control of the airplane. In the past, one blade failure occurred on a Hartzell model propeller that BASCO overhauled. So far, we have received two inspection reports on McCauley propellers. The reports described defective McCauley propeller assemblies.

Based on previous investigative results and this new information, the likelihood that BASCO improperly repaired or overhauled other McCauley model propeller assemblies and returned them to service with potentially unsafe conditions is high. Please note that, so far, there are no known failures of any BASCO overhauled McCauley Propeller models.

Recommendation

We recommend that if BASCO serviced any of your McCauley model propellers, you should have another FAA approved propeller repair station re-inspect or overhaul those propellers again. Please send the results of these inspections or overhauls, whether favorable or not, to us at the address below. We might use the results to affect a future Airworthiness Directive action that is under consideration. See the attached list of all known McCauley propeller Model and Serial Numbers that BASCO repaired or overhauled.

For Further Information Contact

Tim Smyth, Aerospace Engineer, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, Propulsion Branch, ACE-118C, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, IL, 60018; phone: (847)-294- 7132, fax: (847) 294-7834; email:

tim.smyth@faa.gov

2 McCauley Propeller and Serial Number Summary Note: This list may not be complete

Model S/N 3AF32C8TNR 745552 3AF32C505 931962 3AF32C93NR 674751 2A34C203 768999 3AF32C93NR 754925 3AF32C93R 450130 2A34C203-B 880318 3AF32C93-NR 752144 3AF32C505 818688 3DF32C87NR 764992 3AF32C504/C 910240 3AF32C505 931961 3AF34C92-P 737326 3AF34C92-BNP 672285 3AF32C504 860700 3AF32C93N 794865 3AF32C505G 931962 3AF32C87/NR 802661 3AF32C87NR 7910272 3AF32C505 871353 3AF32C87NR 783516 3AF32C505 813661 3AF32C93NR 7710075 3AF32C505 860730 3AF32C87NR 764992 3AF32C87NR 774756 3AF32C93NR 798898 3AF32C87NR 795931 3AF32C93NR 911182 Model S/N 3AF32C87NR 752252 3AF32C505-C 881961 D3A32C404B 851108 3AF32C87-N 776724 3AF32C505C 891265 3AF32C93NR 783516 3AF32C505 950616 3AF32C87NR 815398 3AF32C505 811110 3AF32C505 810807 3AF32C93NR 804708 3AF32C93NR 785846 3AF32C505 805724 3AF32C505 811227 3AF32C93NR 767569 3AF32C93NR 785846 3AF32C505 805724 3AF32C505 811227 3AF32C93NR 762569 3AF32C87-N 800863 3AF32C93N 798117 3AF32C505C 941070 3AF32C505C 970109 3AF32C505-C 931953 3AF32C93-NR 798898 3AF32C505-C 940456 3AF32C87NR 780353 3AF32C87NR 690486 3AF32C505 805176 Model S/N 3AF32C87NR 766585 3AF32C504 813783 3AF32C504C 940409 3AF32C93-NR 737569 3AF32C505-C 941197 3AF32C87N 799836 3AF32C87N 716260 3AF32C505-C 970180 3AF32C504 815798 3AF32C87-N2R 792878 3AF32C93-R 971020 D2AF34C61-EMO 681079 3AF32C93-R 970120 3AF32C504 860700 3AF32C93NR 800834 3AF32C505 811286 3AF32C505B 931462 D3A34C404 797884 3AF32C93NR 763782 3AF32C87NR 756254 3AF32C93NR 769470 3AF32C504C 910240 3AF32C93 870413 3AF32C87NR 794725 3AF32C505G 940468 3AF32C87N 728366 3AF32C87NR 764992