Antennas

During post-flight inspection, cracks were discovered on the ELTs rod antenna, approximately six inches from the base. The #2 GPS lost signal during an RNAV approach, generating a warning on the Garmin G1000. An operator noted it had experienced four-plus failures of the whip antenna installed for the Artex ME406 ELT. Flight experienced en route loss of GPS reception on all four devices, including a GTN 750/650 installation plus two portable WAAS GPS receivers. The GNS 430W indicated no satellite coverage while in flight. A portable GPS also indicated lost coverage.

Key Takeaways:

• Antenna failures were reported across various aircraft, stemming from manufacturing defects (cracked ELT antenna) and faulty factory installations (improperly sealed and crimped GPS antenna).
• Multiple failures of Artex ELT whip antennas were noted, with one instance resulting in physical detachment during flight.
• Failing GPS antennas, particularly Garmin models, caused significant interference, jamming other GPS receivers aboard the aircraft and necessitating the shutdown of the faulty unit to restore navigation.

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