PA-28RArrow

Parts most often named Bolt (10) · Fitting (4) · Powerpack (3) · Actuator (3)

DURING SCHEDULED INSPECTION, LANDING GEAR ANTI-RETRACTION SYSTEM FAILED TO PREVENT GEAR RETRACTION WITH WEIGHT ON WHEELS. INSPECTION FOUND GEAR SAFETY SQUAT SWITCH WAS STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION INTERNALLY. THE SWITCH TAB WAS IN THE NORMAL DEACTIVATED POSITION, BUT THE SWITCH ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WAS CLOSED. MANIPULATION OF THE SWITCH RESTORED NORMAL FUNCTION AND THE FAULT COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. SWITCH WAS REPLACED.

RT MLG UNSAFE LIGHT NOT ILLUMINATED. INSPECTED ENTIRE LANDING GEAR HYD AND INDICATING SYSTEMS. FOUND POWERPACK TO BE LOW ON FLUID. [S/N removed] POWER-PACK WITH FLUID. NO SIGNS OF LEAKAGE WERE NOTED. NO OTHER DEFECTS WERE NOTED IN THE ACFT. CYCLED GEAR WITH NO DEFECTS NOTED.

ON TAKEOFF, GEAR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WIH FULL POWER, FLAPS UP, RT MAIN GEAR POSITION LIGHT INOPERATIVE. INSPECTED RT MLG FOR CONDITION, SECURITY AND OPERATION, NO DEFECTS NOTED. ADJUSTED RT MLG DOWN LIMIT SWITCH. PERFORMED GEAR RETRACTION AND EXTENSION AND FREE FALL TEST SATISFACTORY.

Parts most often named Rib (32) · Rib Assy (2) · Wing Walk Rib (1)

WHILE COMPLYING WITH PIPER [S/N removed] BULLETIN NR 1161B BY THE INSTALLATION OF PIPER WING RIB MODIFICATION KITS P/N 767-397 AND P/N 767-398, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE NOSE RIBS FORWARD OF THE REPAIR WERE CRACKED. NOSE RIB P/N 62021-00 ON LEFT WING AT STATION 49.25 AND NOSE RIB P/N 62021-01 ON RIGHT WING AT STATION 49.25 HAD TWO VERTICAL CRACKS ADJACENT TO THE HOLES USED TO BOLT ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR TRUSS BRACKET ASSEMBLY P/N 95643-06 FOR LEFT WING AND P/N 95643-07 FOR THE RIGHT WING.

WHILE INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF A BROKEN PITOT LINE WHERE THE WING MEETS THE FUSELAGE, EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT WAS NOTICED BETWEEN THE WING AND FUSELAGE. WHEN THE WING WAS REMOVED IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FORWARD WING RIB P/N 95639-002 HAD CRACKED COMPLETELY AROUND THE FORWARD WING ATTACH POINT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AFT WING ATTACH POINT BOLT HOLE, AND MAIN SPAR BOLT HOLES HAD BEEN ELONGATED DUE TO THE ADDITION STRESS AND MOVEMENT.

RECEIVED A WRITE UP FOR 149DT SAYING IT HAD CUTS IN THE LEFT MAIN TIRE. ON INSPECTION OF TIRE, NOTICED THAT THE WHEEL SEEMED TO BE CANTED. PROCEEDED TO INSPECT THE LANDING GEAR AND FOUND DAMAGE FROM WHERE IT APPEARED THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN SIDE LOADED AND THE BRAKE DISC CUT BOTH THE TIRE AND MAIN GEAR STRUT ON THE LEFT MAIN. FOUND MINOR BUCKLING OF BOTTOM OF SKIN AND OB RIB BY LEFT MAIN GEAR.

Parts most often named Magneto (6) · Distributor Gear (4) · Housing (2) · Capacitor (2)

OWNER EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE IN FLIGHT. EXPEDITED NORMAL LANDING. UPON INVESTIGATION, FOUND RIGHT MAG RUNNING ERRATICALLY. MECHANIC INVESTIGATED MAGNETO AND FOUND DISTRIBUTION PIN IN DISTRIBUTOR CAP LOOSE. REPLACED DISTRIBUTOR AND WORKED PROPERLY. BUT UPON RUNUP, FOUND LEFT MAG RUNNING ERRATICALLY. FOUND SAME PROBLEM IN DISTRIBUTOR CAP OF LEFT MAG. REPLACED AND BOTH MAGS WORK PROPERLY.

THE ACFT WOULD NOT START OR EVEN HIT DESPITE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. WHEN THE TIMING WAS CHECKED IT WAS FOUND THAT THE IMPULSE COUPLING WOULD RELEASE AT VARYING TIMES. THIS ACFT ONLY HAS ONE IMPULSE COUPLED MAGNETO. THIS MAGNETO HAS BEEN RETURNED FOR WARRANTY.

ACFT RAN ROUGH AND SKIPPED. OPENED MAGNETO FOR INSPECTION. FOUND DISTRIBUTOR GEAR K3008 METAL FINGER BECAME DISLODGED FROM THE CENTER POST. GEAR WAS REPLACED WITH NEW ONE. ENGINE RAN FINE WITHOUT ISSUES. MAGNETO WAS GIVEN A 500 HR MAGNETO INSPECTION 98.6 HRS AGO.

Parts most often named Seal (7) · Stud (7) · Cylinder (6) · Retainer (2)

IN-FLIGHT . ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN VERY ROUGH. ACFT RETURNED TO AIRPORT, ENGINE WAS SHUTDOWN ON RUNWAY. INSPECTION OF ENGINE FOUND NR 1 CYLINDER SEPARATING FROM CASE, CYLINDER HOLD DOWN NUTS SHEARED OFF, ALL EXCEPT AFT LOWER HOLD DOWN NUT, AND STUD WAS BENT.

CYLINDER BASE STUDS BROKE ON NR 3 CYLINDER. APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM RIGHT PART NUMBER 76220-P01 THRU STUD BROKE AT THE CYLINDER BASE AND .500 NUT. THE REST OF THE STUDS BROKE DUE TO INCREASED LOAD FROM THE BROKEN 76220 STUD.

ON RUN-UP, PILOT AND INSTRUCTOR FELT ENGINE VIBRATION. MAG DROPS WERE GOOD. AIRPLANE WAS TAXIED TO MAINTENANCE. MECHANIC FOUND NR 3 CYLINDER WITH 4 BROKEN MOUNT STUDS AND OIL COMING FROM EXHAUST. CYLINDER REMOVED AND REPAIRED BY ENGINE SHOP. ENGINE INSPECTION REVEALED NO FURTHER DAMAGE. SUSPECT DETONATION AS CAUSE.

Parts most often named Crankcase (7) · Stud (3) · Connect Rod (3) · Camshaft (2)

(ECPS) DURING THIRD TOUCH AND GO CLIMB OUT AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FT. A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD AND A SMOKE / BURNT OIL SMELL APPEARED. ONLY PARTIAL ENGINE POWER WAS AVAILABLE BUT WAS ENOUGH TO TURN AROUND AND LAND ON THE SAME RUNWAY, WITHOUT INCIDENT. ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN AFTER CLEARING THE RUNWAY AND AIRCRAFT TOWED TO THE RAMP.

ON CLIMB-OUT, PILOT NOTICED LOW POWER. RETURNED TO AIRPORT. MAINTENANCE INSPECTION REVEALED BELOW MINIMUM VALVE TRAVELS FOR ALL INTAKE VALVES. REMOVED NR 1 CYLINDER. FOUND CAM LOBES SEVERELY WORN AND TAPPETS CORRODED AND WORN IN A CONCAVE MANNER. ENGINE REPAIRED BY [S/N removed] CENTER. REINSTALLED ON ACFT. ALL SYSTEMS OPS CK NORMAL.

(CAN) 7 OF THE 8 STUDS ON NR 2 CYL BROKE ALLOWING THE CYL TO SHIFT CAUSING A VIBRATION. 5 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT NOTED A VIBRATION AND RETURNED FOR A NORMAL LANDING. INSPECTION OF THE LOG BOOK IT WAS NOTED THAT NR2 CYL HAD BEEN REMOVED 375 HRS PRIOR BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER.

Parts most often named Trunnion (4) · Spring (2) · Link (2) · Downlock (2)

DURING A SCHEDULED INSPECTION, THE OVERMOULDED RUBBER BUMPER ON THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTION STOP WAS FOUND BROKEN. THE RUBBER WAS SPLIT AT THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE RETRACTION DRAG LINK. THIS AICRAFT HAS HAD THIS PART REPLACED THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY DURING THE PAST 727 HOURS AFTT FOR THE SAME ISSUE.

WHEN THE PILOT SELECTED "GEAR UP", A NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE NOSE WHEEL AREA. THE NOSE GEAR INDICATION WAS UNSAFE AND WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WAS SELECTED "DOWN", THE GREEN LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. AFTER LANDING THE NLG LINK PN-76426-803 WAS FOUND CRACKED AND BROKEN AT THE ACTUATOR ATTACH LOCATION. THE END OF THE ACTUATOR WAS MISSING AS WELL.

CRACK DISCOVERED IN FWD FACING RADIUS OF NOSE GEAR RETRACTION CYLINDER AND DOWN LOCK ATTACHMENT TANG DURING ANNUAL INSP. REPLACED ENTIRE NOSE GEAR LINK AND BRACE DOWN-LOCK ASSY WITH NEW TO RETURN ACFT TO AIRWORTHINESS.

Parts most often named Mount (22) · Clamp (1) · Bolts (1)

DURING ROUNTINE MX, THE TECH WAS PERFORMING A PRELIMINARY/HIDDEN DAMAGE INSP OF THE AREA SURROUNDING THE AREA WHERE WORK WAS TO BE PERFORMED. NOTICED THE SMALL TUBE THAT IS WELDED TO THE LOWER ENGINE MOUNT TUBE THAT THE LOWER COWL IS MOUNTED TO, WAS MOVING SLIGHTLY WHEN TOUCHED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A CIRCULAR CRACK EXISTED AROUND THE WELD AREA. WHEN THE SMALL TUBE AND WELD BEAD WAS REMOVED, THE ENGINE MOUNT TUBE HAD A HOLE IN IT APPROX .75" IN DIAMETER. THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS REPLACED.

DURING ROUTING SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE INSPECTION NOTED ENG MOUNT WAS CRACKED JUST ABOVE WELD ON RT LOWER SIDE OF ENGINE MOUNT. JUST ABOVE AFT DRAGLINK MOUNT POINT. ALSO, UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE LOWER HORIZONTAL TUBE MOST OB WAS ALSO BENT. MOS NOTED TOWARD THE FRONT PART OF THE MOUNT BY THE LANDING GEAR ATTACH POINT. NO HARD LANDING HAD BEEN REPORTED. (K)

CLAMP PN MS21919WD6 THAT RETAINS THE MIXTURE CONTROL CABLE TO THE ENGINE MOUNT FAILED ALLOWING CABLE TO RESTRICT THE OPERATION OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. INSPECT SECURENESS AND ROUTING OF MIXTURE CABLE ON LIKE AIRCRAFT TO PREVERT CABLE FROM RESTRICTING LANDING GEAR TRAVEL.

Parts most often named Spar (13) · Rib (2) · Fitting (2) · Spar Fitting (1)

CRACKS FOUND IN BOTH MAIN WING SPARS AT MLG SUPPORT BRACE TRUNNION FITTING ATTACK POINT. 1 CRACK PER WING IS APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH RUNNING BETWEEN THE NUTPLATE RIVET HOLES. 1 CRACK PER WING APPROXIMATELY 2" RUNNING LATERALLY ALONG LOWER RADIUS OF SPAR.

SIDE LOAD STRESSES ON MLG ASSEMBLIES THAT ARE TRANSMITTED THROUGH THEIR RETRACT LINK ATTACH FORGING TO THE WING SPAR AREA ARE CAUSING FATIGUE CRACKS TO FORM IN VERTICAL FLANGES OF WS 49.25 LT AND RT AFT RIBS, AND FORWARD RIBS.

BOLT HOLE ELONGATED ON AFT SPAR PLATE FITTING: DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE BOLT FOUND LOOSE IN AFT SPAR PLATE AND HOLE WAS ELONGATED, SAME CONDITION WAS FOUND 5-14-2008 ON L/S AFT WING SPAR ATTACH PLATE AND THAT WAS REPLACED THEN. SPAR PLATE AND FITTING ARE THOUGHT TO BE ORIGINAL.

Parts most often named Switch (6) · Squat Switch (1) · Drag Brace (1) · Light (1)

DURING LANDING GEAR EXTENSION, PILOT NOTED A FLICKERING RT MLG LIGHT. RECEIVED VISUAL REPORT OF HIS LANDING GEAR CONDITION FROM PILOTS ABOARD GROUND AND AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT, WHO INDICATED HIS LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE RT MLG COLLAPSED. INSPECTION OF LANDING GEAR MECHANICAL COMPONENTS REVEALED CORROSION AND LACK OF LUBRICATION. INSPECTION OF RT GEAR DOWN LIMIT SWITCH REVEALED IT WAS RIGGED TO FULL UP POSITION, POSSIBLY MAKING CONTACT WITH RT DOWNLOCK HOOK PREMATURELY.

JACKED AIRCRAFT TO VERIFY SQUAT SWITCH ADJUSTMENT IAW SRM. SQUAT SWITCH IS SUPPOSE TO ACTUATE WITHIN THE FIRST .250 INCH OF STRUT COMPRESSION FROM FULL EXTENSION. FOUND SQUAT SWITCH TO BE ADJUSTED TO ACTUATE AT .625 INCHES. THIS IS .375 INCHES OUT OF LIMITS. THE TORQUE SEAL ON THE SQUAT SWITCH MOUNTING/ ADJUSTING HARDWARE SHOWS NO EVIDENCE OF BEING DISTURBED.

DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR DOWNLOCK SPRINGS WERE WORN 80 PERCENT OF THE WAY THROUGH WHERE THEY CONNECT TO THE LANDING GEAR.

Parts most often named Control Cable (6) · Support (2) · Support Bracket (2) · Bracket (2)

DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTED THAT BOTH LT AND RT LOWER SUPPORT AILERON PULLEY BRACKETS WERE CRACKED AT THE FWD INBD RADIUS MOUNT AT EACH WING RIB. A PIECE OF 1 OF THE BRACKETS WAS DETACHED.

WHILE CONDUCTING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION PRIOR TO PLACING THE AIRCRAFT ON LINE AFTER PURCHASING IT FROM A LOCAL OPERATOR THE LT FORWARD AILERON BALANCE CABLE WAS FOUND TO BE BADLY WORN AND FRAYED. RESEARCH OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNERS HAD FAILED TO COMPLY WITH SB 1048 WHICH REQUIRES REPETITIVE INSPECTIONS OF ALL FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES. THIS SB WAS APPLICABLE TO THIS AIRCRAFT. (K)

CRACKS IN AILERON BELLCRANK LOWER SUPPORTS BOTH LT AND RT. LOOK REAL CLOSE ON INSPECTION BECAUSE NUT AND WASHER COVER AREAS. (K)