Flight Controls: Control Cable/Pulley Inspections

FAA Aviation Safety SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN SAIB: CE-11-42 SUBJ: Flight Controls: Control Cable/Pulley Inspections Date: June 29, 2011 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you, owners or operators of Piper Aircraft Inc. (Piper) airplane models (see list of models below), about a potential airworthiness concern regarding failure of the aileron control cables and consequent loss of aileron control authority. This failure is due to a manufacturing flaw in the pulley, which causes the aileron control cables to be severed at the pulley location.

At this time, this airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant AD action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Aviation Regulations (14CFR) part 39.

Applicability: All serial numbers of Models PA-28-140, PA-28-150, PA-28-160, PA-28-180 PA-28S-160, PA-28S-180, PA-28-235, PA-28-236, PA-28-151, PA-28-161, PA-28-181, PA-28-201T, PA-28R-180, PA-28R-200, PA-28R-201, PA-28R-201T, PA-28RT-201, PA-28RT-201T, PA-32-260, PA-32-300, PA-32R-300, PA-32RT-300, PA-32RT-300T, PA-32R-301(SP), PA-32R-301(HP), PA-32R-301T, PA-32-301, PA-32-301T, PA-32-301FT, PA-32-301XTC, PA-34-200, PA-34-200T, PA-34-220T, PA-44-180, and PA-44-180T airplanes.

Background

FAA has received a report of a failed aileron cable on Piper Model PA-32R-301T airplane (MFG: 2001, Total Time: 2794). An inspection of this aircraft revealed that one of the aileron control cables had been severed at one pulley location, and both right and left hand aileron balance cables had approximately half of the cable strands broken at associated pulley locations. It was determined that the pulley at the location of the severed cable had a flaw that caused the aileron control cable to wear completely through.

Recommendations

The purpose of this SAIB is to provide specific inspection procedures to reduce the possibility of failure of the control cable assembly. We recommend that you review and incorporate the instructions noted in Piper Service Letter No. 1135, dated October 19, 2010, which provide procedures to inspect the flight control cables and fittings at 100 hours time in service intervals. In addition, visually inspect the entire surface of each cable, cable terminal, pulley, turnbuckle, and other cable fitting for any flaw, corrosion or cracking. Any evidence of flaw, corrosion or cracking is a cause for replacement.

For Further Information Contact

Hector Hernandez, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Central Region, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone (404) 474-5587; fax (404) 474-5606; email: [email protected] 1