SAIB CE-01-41

SPECIAL

AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION

BULLETIN Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration No. CE-01-41 September 10, 2001 We post SAIBs on the internet at "av-info.faa.gov" This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

Introduction This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) informs you, a registered owner or operator, of Cessna 150, 172, 175, 180, 182, 185, 206, 210, and 336 series airplanes manufactured between 1960 and 1964, (approximately 12,500 airplanes), of potential cracks in the plastic control wheels originally installed in these airplanes. These control wheel castings were the subject of a 1964 Cessna Service Letter (SL) No. 64-8, dated February 14, 1964, which called for a visual inspection and a proof load test to insure structural integrity. Since that time, the FAA Service Difficulty Reports show that control wheel cracks are still being reported although no accidents/incidents have been attributed to control wheel failure.

Background We have initiated three FAA Safety Recommendations over the years recommending Airworthiness Directive (AD) action to mandate inspections, tests and/or replacements of these control wheels. The most recent recommendation prompted issuance of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which proposed annual proof tests of each control wheel in accordance with the original 1964 Cessna service letter and replacement if tests were unsuccessful.

This NPRM prompted several responses objecting to the proposed rule primarily due to minimal risk and a small number of reported cracks in recent years. Since the proof test necessitates removal of the control wheel from the airplane, a response pointed out the potential problems associated with removal and installation of the control wheel once a year. Errors in installation could occur which could be more serious than the original condition. A further review of the nature of the reported cracks, redundancy provided by two control wheel grips and the availability of a second control wheel (co-pilot’s) indicates that risks associated with these cracks are minimal. Further, visual inspections of the wheels should be a part of each periodic (100 hour or annual) inspection as indicated in the various Cessna Maintenance/Service Manuals and in 14 CFR 43, Appendix D.

Recommendation The FAA recommends that you place special emphasis on the periodic (100 hour and annual) inspections on plastic control wheels installed in these particular airplanes if they have not been previously replaced. (See Cessna SL No. 64- 8, dated February 14, 1964 for models and specific serial numbers). If crack indications are unclear, we also recommend that you test proof the wheel in accordance with Cessna SL No. 64-8. You may reduce the pull force to 30 pounds rather than the 50 pounds as stated in the service letter.

For Further Information Contact Jeff Kelsey; Cessna; (316) 517-7596 for copies of Cessna SL No. 64-8.

Paul Nguyen, Aerospace Engineer, FAA Wichita ACO, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, KS 67209, telephone: (316) 946-4125, fax: (316) 946-4407, e -mail: paul.nguyen@faa.gov