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 (FAR 91.407); discovering issues during these flights necessitates careful and appropriate actions to land safely.
• A fatal crash of a Potez-Air Fouga CM 170 Magister occurred during a post-maintenance test flight, likely due to a loss of hydraulic pressure after landing gear extension.
• The NTSB determined the probable cause was the pilot's improper decision to continue a tight-turning landing pattern despite hydraulic loss and failure to maintain adequate airspeed, leading to an accelerated maneuver stall.
• A more prudent response to the hydraulic failure would have been to abandon the aggressive approach, configure the aircraft for manual control, and execute a controlled landing.

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