Cracked, Failed, Broken

The following information is derived from the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Multiple aircraft components experienced failures, including defective strobe light switches, broken TIT probes, and magneto contact points, some after very low operating hours.
Significant structural failures were reported in engine components, specifically a cracked crankshaft and a cracked exhaust pipe, with an improved replacement design recommended for the latter.
A nosewheel steering failure was attributed to insufficient lubrication, highlighting the importance of thorough greasing procedures for critical flight control systems.

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Beechcraft A36 Bonanza
Failed Strobe Light Switch
During a routine inspection, it was noted the strobe lights would remain on after the switch was selected “off.” Troubleshooting revealed the switch to be defective. Once replaced per AD 2008-13-17, the original switch was disassembled. The solder joint holding the braided wire had broken, and welded itself to the line post. Switch p/n 35-380132-103.
Part Total Time: 516.0 hours

Beechcraft C90GTX King Air
Failed Nosewheel Steering
The aircraft’s nosewheel steering failed. Investigation revealed lack of grease on the steering brace (p/n 101-820024-15). No other findings or problems were detected on the steering assembly. After greasing, operational and functional tests performed smoothly. Recommendation: The steering brace must be greased with the aircraft both on and off jacks to guarantee full lubrication.
Part Total Time: (unknown)