The only relevant incidents are with the PT6A-114A. Show me the NTSB reports on engine failures for Cessna 208B’s having a PT6A-114A engine.
I did stipulate at one point, as my source did, that the statistics used were for engine failures of commercial aircraft that were investigated by the NTSB. The reason for that stipulation is that there is a world of difference in the maintenance and repairs by commercial airlines, as opposed to non-commercial aircraft. As in the case where the mechanic put in the wrong part, user error in one case does not explain engine failure in a case where the protocols and recommendations are followed to a T, to protect against lawsuits. Makani Kai says they did their maintenance to HIGHER standards than are required for commercial planes.
Some flying conditions will also wear out parts more quickly, as is alluded to in some of these cases. But Makani Kai just made short passenger flights in good weather at low altitudes, where there wouldn’t be icing or some of the aircraft stressors that come from longer flights. That’s my understanding; if somebody knows otherwise they can point it out to me.
Ok, so now there's one honest person in Hawaii...lol..he probably feels safe saying that, after all, he had that engine in his possession for a week, didn't he? It's going to take an awful lot of persuasion to convince me there was no hanky-panky going on in that time. Do you think we'll ever see the findings from the manufacturer?
I bet we'll be left in the dark like mushrooms again and fed our nourishment one drip at a time.
I should also point out that Mokulele Express, which had an engine failure 3 days after Doug Vogt filed his lawsuit naming Loretta Fuddy as a defendant, also did short commuter flights in good weather at low altitudes, which would eliminate some stressors as the cause for engine problems.
The NTSB has had that intact engine to look at since Oct 22nd, the day after the crash, and in those 100 days or so hasn’t yet found anything in the engine that they say caused that engine failure.
In that case also - as with the Fuddy crash - the NTSB did not seal off the evidence as would be required for a crime scene, in accordance with their own requirements for fatal accidents or accidents involving fire, sparks, etc, but allowed the evidence to potentially be contaminated.