Flight Controls, Rudder Control System

1 FAA Aviation Safety SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN SUBJ: Flight Controls, Rudder Control System SAIB: CE-16-06 Date: November 20, 2015 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) informs registered owners/operators of M7 Aerospace LLC Models SA26-T/-AT, SA226-T/-T(B)/-AT/-TC, SA227-TT/-AT/-AC/-BC, and SA227-CC/-DC airplanes (under Type Certificate Data Sheets A5SW, A8SW, and A18SW) of an airworthiness concern. Specifically, this SAIB provides inspection procedures and on-condition maintenance actions for the rudder bellcrank for the affected airplanes.

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

Background

M7 Aerospace LLC recently issued SA26/SA226/SA227 series Service Bulletins (SB) 26-27-003 R1 for all SA-26 series airplanes; 226-27-079 R2 for all SA226 series airplanes; 227-27-059 R2 for all SA227 series airplanes; and CC7-27-031 R2 for all Commuter Category SA227-CC/DC series airplanes, which all apply to affected airplanes that have a rudder bellcrank installed made from either a magnesium or aluminum casting. The SBs were issued after an operator reported the fracture of a rudder bellcrank resulting from overload caused by a high ground wind gust. The SBs provide owners and operators instructions for inspecting rudder bellcrank castings for cracks on both a repetitive basis and whenever a rudder hard-over event happens and provides instructions for replacing any bellcrank found cracked.

Recommendations

The FAA recommends inspecting and replacing (when required) the rudder bellcrank in M7 Aerospace LLC SA26, SA226 and SA227 (specific models referenced above) airplanes using the procedures in the above-referenced service bulletins, as applicable.

For Further Information Contact

Andrew McAnaul, Aerospace Engineer, ASW-143, c/o SAT-MIDO-43, 10100 Reunion Place Suite 650, San Antonio, TX 78216; phone: (210) 308-3365, fax: (210) 308-3370; e-mail: [email protected].

For Related Service Information Contact

M7 Aerospace, LLC, 10823 N.E. Entrance, San Antonio, Texas, 78216; phone: (210) 824-9421; fax: (210) 820-8609; email: [email protected].