Handle With Care

Any time repairs or other work is performed on an aircraft, it’s a good idea to conduct a post-maintenance test flight to ensure everything is working as it should. There’s even a regulation, FAR 91.407, covering such flights and the “operational check of the maintenance performed or alteration made.” In many ways, someone conducting such a flight is a test pilot, determining whether the work performed was completed properly and the aircraft performs as intended. During such flights, we generally plan to conduct a functional check of any and all systems potentially affected by the work performed and return. This, of course, presumes we don’t find a problem with the work performed. If we do find a problem during our post-maintenance check flight, an obvious response is to get the aircraft back on the ground expeditiously and resolve the issue. Depending on the problem, we may or may not be in a hurry: To us, an engine oil leak would mean hurry up and land, while a flight-control system issue might encourage us to take things easier and handle the aircraft gently.

Key Takeaways:

• Post-maintenance test flights are crucial for verifying repairs, but carry inherent risks, especially if critical systems like hydraulics—which control landing gear, flaps, and airbrakes—fail, potentially leading to loss of control.
• A fatal 2011 crash of a Fouga Magister during a post-maintenance test flight, following repairs for hydraulic leaks, was likely caused by a loss of hydraulic pressure after the landing gear was extended.
• The NTSB determined the accident resulted from the pilot's improper decision to continue a tight, high-speed landing pattern despite compromised hydraulics, leading to an accelerated maneuver stall due to inadequate airspeed, underscoring the importance of proper emergency procedures.

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