| | I purchased this navion in February 1978 for $6,300, at Alton, Illinois. In October 1978 I had the engine completely rebuilt after the left front cylinder piston was found to have a dime size hole burned through it at the oil ring (alleged to be due to an out of round cylinder). With the explosion of hotgas into the oil pan through this hole I decided to give it a complete MOH. Replacing two cylinders with cracks in them. Everything was replaced internally that did not meet acceptable specifications. Thrust bearing appeared alright and was not replaced. The work was did by Clitus Miller, a Cert. Aircraft Inspector, who was a retired A&I mechanic previously employed by Walston Cessina Aviation at St. Louis, Regional Airport. I sold N4877K to a man named Jack Culp who lived in Peroia, Illinois for $9,500 with only 14 hours on the rebuilt engine. I was moving to California to work with my employer and sold the aircraft for what I had put into it. There was nothing wrong with the aircraft when I sold it, as I sold it because my California employer had planned to send me over seas to work on a construction project. I bought it because it was sold to me for a very reasonable price. During the year I owned it I flew it over 150 hours. I never abused the aircraft during the period I owned it; as have been a pilot since 1947. I believe the cause of the cylinder failure and the hole in the piston was due to over heating cause by too lean a mixture. I used the aircraft generally for X-Country flights between job projects as I was a supervisor in the construction trades. I am now retired and live near Festus, Missouri. You may contact me at my email address: ichutchins@earthlink.com |
