Ailerons: March 2020

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Multiple aircraft experienced control surface malfunctions, primarily involving ailerons, due to improper installation, misrigging, or foreign objects.
  • Many issues stemmed from maintenance events such as repainting or rerigging, complicated by poor visual alignment, unlogged work, or incorrect maintenance manuals.
  • Corrective actions typically involved rerigging, lubricating systems, or removing obstructions to restore proper control travel and function.
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Beechcraft 95-B55 Baron

Misinstalled Aileron

The right aileron outboard attach disconnected in flight due to improper installation. On inspection, pick-up points for aileron attachment had been missed internally due to difficulty in visual alignment in between skins where failed to engage hinge. Previous log book entries show the aileron had not been removed since 1990. The pressure of the overlapping skin is enough to simulate the outboard attach hinge is installed correctly.

Part total time: 5561 hours

 

Cessna 172M Skyhawk

Foreign Objects

The ailerons were rerigged during a scheduled inspection. Loose hardware was found inside an aileron, stuck to the inner skin with paint. The loose hardware was removed from the aileron, and it is suspected the items were accidentally dropped into the aileron when the airplane was repainted in 2005. No record of the repaint was entered in the airplane’s maintenance records.

Part total time: Unknown

 

Cessna 172M Skyhawk

Misrigged Ailerons

During the annual inspection, both ailerons were deflected down six degrees when the control yoke was level, failing to meet the deflection limit in the type certification data. It appears the faulty rigging occurred when the controls were reinstalled after the airplane was painted. The ailerons were rerigged IAW the approved maintenance manual.

Part total time: Unknown

 

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Lack Of Lubrication

Aileron, rudder and elevator trim were reported too stiff, with elevator trim sometimes jamming during flight. Troubleshooting of aileron trim and rudder trim resulted in lubricating both systems.  Elevator trim inspection found right elevator trim actuator four teeth out of rig. All systems rerigged and checked good.

Part total time: Unknown

 

Pitts S-2B Special

Obstructed Aileron Movement

Inspection of the control surfaces found the ailerons did not reach their travel limits and push rods were hitting the forward spars of the lower wings. Also, the elevator tab was unable to reach its limits. Both travel limits in the approved maintenance manual dated May 1998 give values for a model S-2C and not the S-2B IAW the revised FAA type certificate data sheet. We contacted the factory for an updated maintenance manual and were informed we have the current version.

Part total time: 1036 hours

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