No Evidence Of The Vacuum Pump Ever Being Overhauled Or Replaced
Analysis: While proceeding eastbound at night along the shoreline of an island, the airplane began a rapid spiral descent, and impacted the ground. Despite an extensive search by multiple entities, the airplane remained missing for approximately 4 years; however, when the wreckage was located, there was sufficient evidence to show that the vacuum pump, which powered the attitude indicator and the directional gyro, had failed. Examination of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records revealed that the airplane had accrued in excess of 1,224.8 total hours of operation, but no evidence of the vacuum pump ever being overhauled or replaced was discovered. The pilot did not possess an i