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A grumman cheetah on the first flight out of an annual inspection experienced a complete engine failure, cause unknown.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 431392 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199902 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : atw.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cheetah, Tiger, Traveler |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company other |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Qualification | technician : inspection authority technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| Experience | maintenance technician : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 431392 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine indications other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | faa : investigated other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : logbook entry |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
On feb/xa/99, I signed off an annual inspection on a grumman cheetah. Before the owner picked it up from my shop, we both decided to install a new mixture control cable, which is FAA-pma approved for this aircraft. On or around feb/xc/99 he picked up this aircraft. The preflight inspection was fine, the run-up was fine. About 25 mins in-flight on the trip home, the engine had a complete failure. A forced landing was executed and no injuries -- only a little damage to the aircraft. The FAA has performed their investigation and has not and will not determine a cause. However, they are going through the maintenance records to see what all is lacking there. An airworthiness inspector has brought to my attention that I failed to sign off the mixture control installation and also I missed a new airworthiness directive on the vacuum pump. This airworthiness directive does not apply by serial number, however, the airworthiness directive inspector removed the pump and took it with him to disassemble it and see if the airworthiness directive applies. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the FAA has closed the investigation and he was given a letter of correction. The reporter said the letter of correction was for not entering the mixture control cable replacement in the logbook.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A GRUMMAN CHEETAH ON THE FIRST FLT OUT OF AN ANNUAL INSPECTION EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENG FAILURE, CAUSE UNKNOWN.
Narrative: ON FEB/XA/99, I SIGNED OFF AN ANNUAL INSPECTION ON A GRUMMAN CHEETAH. BEFORE THE OWNER PICKED IT UP FROM MY SHOP, WE BOTH DECIDED TO INSTALL A NEW MIXTURE CTL CABLE, WHICH IS FAA-PMA APPROVED FOR THIS ACFT. ON OR AROUND FEB/XC/99 HE PICKED UP THIS ACFT. THE PREFLT INSPECTION WAS FINE, THE RUN-UP WAS FINE. ABOUT 25 MINS INFLT ON THE TRIP HOME, THE ENG HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE. A FORCED LNDG WAS EXECUTED AND NO INJURIES -- ONLY A LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE FAA HAS PERFORMED THEIR INVESTIGATION AND HAS NOT AND WILL NOT DETERMINE A CAUSE. HOWEVER, THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THE MAINT RECORDS TO SEE WHAT ALL IS LACKING THERE. AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR HAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT I FAILED TO SIGN OFF THE MIXTURE CTL INSTALLATION AND ALSO I MISSED A NEW AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ON THE VACUUM PUMP. THIS AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE DOES NOT APPLY BY SERIAL NUMBER, HOWEVER, THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE INSPECTOR REMOVED THE PUMP AND TOOK IT WITH HIM TO DISASSEMBLE IT AND SEE IF THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE APPLIES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE FAA HAS CLOSED THE INVESTIGATION AND HE WAS GIVEN A LETTER OF CORRECTION. THE RPTR SAID THE LETTER OF CORRECTION WAS FOR NOT ENTERING THE MIXTURE CTL CABLE REPLACEMENT IN THE LOGBOOK.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.