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the memory of it still boggles my mind. It was peculiar for several reasons. First, chafed wires are not the norm in a King Air. Then there was the location on the leading edge – an area where there’s not much expansion/contraction – which is a mystery. Also, why did it short out consistently when going through 12,000 feet? And why didn’t the megger testing indicate a short in the leading edge wire bundle? That wire bundle was properly tied up, had protective spiral wrap added and appeared pristine in every way. The leading edge was removed several times during this saga, and each time everything looked normal.
Keeping the craft in Beechcraft
King Airs do not typically get chafed wires. What happened with this F90 is rare for any King Air. I know this from experience. After leaving Beechcraft, I ran a corporate flight department for many years. They had King Airs when I started but later acquired Cessna Citations. Suddenly, chafed wires became an everyday problem. Those Citations were the bane of my existence. Oh, how I missed the King Airs!
When I worked for Beechcraft, I made many visits to the factory. In those days, great care was taken when
the wire bundles went in, to allow for the expansion and contraction brought on by fluctuations in altitude, temperature and pressure. I remember this vividly.
Working on the Beechcraft product line has been a source of great pride for me my entire career. When owners of non-Beechcraft airplanes asked me to help them out, I used to jokingly say, “Sorry, but my alphabet stops at ‘B.’”
I hope your association with the Beechcraft King Air, whether through ownership, flying, fixing or all of the above, has given you the same sense of pride and satisfaction that it has for me. KA
Dean Benedict is a certified A&P, AI with 50 years of experience in King Air maintenance. He was an inaugural inductee to the King Air Hall of Fame. He owned and ran Honest Air Inc., a Beechcraft maintenance boutique with a strong following of King Airs, for 15 years. Currently, with BeechMedic LLC, Dean and his wife, Lisa, consult with owners, pilots and mechanics on King Air maintenance issues, troubleshooting and pre-buys. Dean performs expert witness work on request. He can be reached at 702-524-4378 or via email at dr.dean@beechmedic.com.
Cessna Piston Twins
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FEBRUARY 2025
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 15