Shit your Pants

Engine problems

Fuel pump letting go in flight. Third occurrence in 4 years time.

Probable cause: Hydraulic lock at high engine speed, causing drive shaft to shear. Poor driveshaft design requiring re-design of the pump.
Possible cure: Cleaning of fuel nozzles and fuel flow analysis of the Right Engine.



Tire Wear

Airplane coming back from a weekend of flying with most of its plies showing through the tread.
Maybe four landings before a blow-out.

Cause: Flat spot taking repetitive landings, heavy braking.
Cure: Ground aircraft when the first tire ply starts to show signs of it's first appearance, or replace the tire when a flat spot gets bad.