Chafed, Cracked, Seized

A mechanic writes, "Two aileron cables, one flap cable, and the fuel line are all routed through the l/h lower aft door post area. This fuel line is protected by a plastic sleeve, but an (aileron) cable wore through the sleeve (and began cutting) into the fuel line. This line (p/n 0500106-326) is approximately 20 inches long with four bends. I suggest a one-time inspection in case other aircraft might have this problem."

Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Multiple aircraft models experienced significant component failures, including chafed fuel lines on Cessna 180Js, fractured main gear castings on Cessna T206Hs, and widespread cracked cylinder heads on ECI "E" Series cylinders.
Lycoming IO360-L2A engines suffered from seized exhaust valves and broken valve guides, with fleet inspections revealing a prevalence of tight exhaust valves.
These reports highlight recurring mechanical issues and potential design flaws across various aircraft systems, underscoring the critical need for vigilant inspections and addressing component weaknesses to ensure aviation safety.

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Cessna 180J

Chafed Fuel Line

A mechanic writes, “Two aileron cables, one flap cable, and the fuel line are all routed through the l/h lower aft door post area. This fuel line is protected by a plastic sleeve, but an (aileron) cable wore through the sleeve (and began cutting) into the fuel line. This line (p/n 0500106-326) is approximately 20 inches long with four bends. I suggest a one-time inspection in case other aircraft might have this problem.”

Part Total Time: 2365.0 hours.

Cessna T206H

Failed Main Gear Castings

Two of these broken components were found on different aircraft. One of them is operated on mostly unimproved airstrips in South Africa. The part is the same as