Mag Failures

The nosegear collapsed on landing. The nosegear actuator was removed and tested in a controlled environment. When the actuator was cold-soaked, the microswitch (p/n 1CH16) failed to activate properly, giving a false indication the gear was down and locked. Due to gear failure, both aircraft propellers struck the ground, causing sudden stoppage to the engines. The aircraft also suffered structural damage to the nose section.

Editorial Staff

Thursday, May 31, 2012 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A Cessna 402C experienced nose gear collapse due to a microswitch failing to activate properly, giving a false "gear down" indication when cold.
A Piper Meridian's nose gear torque link was found missing critical hardware (bolt, nut, washer, cotter key), causing vibration and a flat-spotted tire.
Two Continental S6RSC-25P magnetos on the same SR22 aircraft failed within hours due to a distributor gear failure, a component not mandated for replacement in the overhaul manual.
A Superior SL36006WA1E cylinder on a Lycoming O-360 engine cracked from the spark plug hole to the exhaust valve seat, resulting in a loss of compression.

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Cessna 402C
Failed Nose Gear Microswitch
The nosegear collapsed on landing. The nosegear actuator was removed and tested in a controlled environment. When the actuator was cold-soaked, the microswitch (p/n 1CH16) failed to activate properly, giving a false indication the gear was down and locked. Due to gear failure, both aircraft propellers struck the ground, causing sudden stoppage to the engines. The aircraft also suffered structural damage to the nose section.
Part Total Time: 352.0 hours