Big Chill

Guest Discussion
1

Want a good reason for buying a new airplane? I have one for you.

Signed up with Cirrus April '99. Had just sold my former plane and saw the Cirrus at Sun & Fun and was in love. Decided to wait on it sans any airplane. Fall of last year couldn’t stand it any longer and had to find something besides a rental to fly so bought a 172. Looked clean (2110 total time engine and airframe, hangered, etc).

I put approx. 30 hrs on it while deciding what to do about the engine as it was still running OK, oil analysis, compression, etc all OK.

Decided on Penn-Yan (very pleased by the way) but to my point. The guys at Penn-Yan could not believe the magnetos that was on my engine. Someone had put parts in them with known AD’s out on the parts. The guys at Penn-Yan said it was obvious who ever did it knew that they were defective in that they were marked as same so as not to be used. Whats more there was a wire that had come lose from the condenser (I think this is what they called it) that was being held in place by silicone caulk and wedges. Mag failure could happen at any time. They were surprised when I told them I flew it to the shop that was to do the exchange They were surprised the engine would even run.

The engine log stated the mags were replaced with new ones about 200 hrs ago. The ones on my engine had different Serial #'s. Someone had swapped them out.

I was P.O.ed to the max about this and called my local FAA FSDO and was told after examining the logs there was little or no chance in finding who did this. I am still mad. This is an IFR current airplane. Who ever did this could have killed people and probably will kill people.

At least with new or totally rebuilt engines/airplanes from a reputable shop you only have to worry about honest mistakes which hopefully are minimal and not sabotage.

On the bright side I now have a new firewall forward 180 HP airplane to fly and hopefully in less than a year will have my SR22.

Regards–Mike Myers

2

At least with new or totally rebuilt engines/airplanes from a reputable shop you only have to worry about honest mistakes which hopefully are minimal and not sabotage.

Scary story. Perhaps many of us here have their own “what were they thinking” maintenance stories, but yours has to be close to the worst!

When the TCM crankshaft in my 260se had to be replaced per last year’s AD, the engine was removed and sent to TCM. When it came back two months later, the engine reinstallation (at a reputable shop no less–NOT at PAO) had a couple of deficiencies. Fortunately Todd Peterson–the 260se’s “father”–came out to CA to go over the reinstallation personally and found them. One would sooner rather than later have resulted in a catastrophic loss of engine oil, which would have made life interesting at 11,500 feet over Sonora Pass! Cripes.

Let’s all be careful out there, and remember that sometimes the most dangerous flight is the one right after the plane comes out of the shop!