Ice Pilots: C-46 Landing Gear Collapse

Writes Tim McGraw:

An aircraft mechanic has to check, double-check, triple-check, and with me, I’d check my aviation work four times before signing off on it. I also kept a good track of my tools. My toolbox was organized. I knew if something was missing. 

I feel sorry for Chuck, the mechanic who did the engine change, but you have to at least double-check the work, no matter how much management wants the job done yesterday. Chuck would have found his hammer if he’d checked over the engine installation with a flashlight.

With my Jeep Grand Wagoneer, the mechanic at the shop left his hose clamp tool on top of the V-8’s intake manifold. This metal tool concentrated the heat from the engine on the left valve cover, causing the valve cover gasket to leak at high temperatures. I have new chrome, ooooh chrome, valve covers, and new gaskets, but haven’t replaced them. I only drive the Jeep a few miles a week. The gasket doesn’t leak until about 10 miles of driving. 

I mailed the hose clamp tool back to the mechanic. Told him what it did. The shop offered to fix the problem, but the shop always keeps my Jeep for 5 weeks for repairs. No thanks.

The Best of Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.