There wore two outstarndirg problems stemming from design or materiel
failure.
One such problem was a B~57D aircraft landing gear failure.
The
pilots of two separate B-57D aircraft experienced difficulties inflight,
in extendirg the nose gear to "down and locked" position.
of cne aircraft collapsed upon landing.
The nose gear
Inspection revealed cracks in
the barrel of the nose gear actuator, resulting in a loss of hydraulic
fluid.
At this tire all B-57D aircraft were grounded except for actual
cloud samplirg missions,’ An emergency unsatisfactcry report was sub-
ritted to WRAMA and four (4) spare actuators and three (3) actuators
removed from aircraft were flown to NAMAP, Tachikawa Air Base, Japan
for Depot Inspection.
The depot inspection detected cracks in three (3)
of the seven (7) units tested.
NAMAP provided depot inspected replacement
actuators for the B-57D aircraft, permitting the limited flying status
Additional depot tested units were expeditiously pro-
cured from WRAMA to replace the B-57B actuators.
Later, a similer
deficiency was fcurd to exist in the B-57B&D main gear actuators.
An
emergency Unsatisfactory Report was submitted to WRAMA and ,concurrent
crash acticn taken to procure depot inspected replacenent actuators.
The
replacements items were received and installed expeditiously.
The other problem involved SA-16 aircraft of the SAR Zlement.
Two
(2) SA-16 aircraft developed extensive hull damage that was beyond ou
capability to repair.
These aircraft were evacuated tc depot repair
facilities. The damage consisted of hull wrinkling in the bow below
the pilot compartment.
One (1) aircraft was evacuated, to a depot
repair facility and replaced.
The other aircraft was evacuated to SAMAP
for renair and return to the EPG.
The water landings at near maximum
eross larndirg veight and the leng down wind take off distances, peculiar to
some jJslard sites contributed to the wrinkling of the hulls.
180
CN
Ae
to be rescinded.
APWLIHO