Service difficulty report · Control Cable · Cessna 172S

Difficulty date
January 8, 2010
Submitted
January 15, 2010
Operation
General aviation
Filed by
N3XR816N
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Inc
Aircraft
N558ER
Make and model
Cessna 172S
Aircraft serial
172S10562
Engine
Lyc IO360L2A
Propeller
Mcauly 1A170E
Part
Control Cable
Part number
0510105360
Condition
Frayed
Location
Flt Controls
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

DURING FLAP & AILERON CABLE INSP FLAT SPOTS WERE NOTICED ON 3 AILERON CONTROL CABLES. ROLLED CABLES FOR BETTER VIEW OF CONTACT POINT WITH PULLEYS & WAS ABLE TO CATCH FRAYED WIRES WITH A RAG & COULD SEE A SUBSTANTIAL GROOVE IN CARRY-THRU CABLE. CABLE TENSIONS WITHIN SPECS & AREA CLEAN & FREE OF DIRT & DEBRIS. PLASTIC PULLEYS INSPECTED, CLEAN & FREE TO ROLL. PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING DURING NORMAL FLT TRAINING SCHOOL USE & HAS BEEN NOTICED TO BE HAPPENING WITH OUR OTHER ACFT WITH SAME TIMES. CAUSE IS PROBABLY FROM PULLEYS THEMSELVES. THEY ARE MADE FROM A HARD WHITE PLASTIC MATERIAL. THE BRAIDED STEEL CABLES ARE RUBBING AGAINST THE PULLEYS INSTEAD OF ROLLING ON THEM. THAT IS CAUSING THEM TO FLAT SPOT AT FIRST AND THEN GROOVE ONCE WORN INTO THE CABLE DEEP ENOUGH. THERE IS ALSO NO NOTICIBLE CABLE DEFLECTION WHERE THE CABLES CONTACT THE PULLEYS, SEEMS LIKE THE PULLEY DIAMETER IS TOO SMALL. REPLACE THE PULLEYS WITH A NORMAL BROWN PHENOLIC TYPE PULLEY USED IN ALL OTHER AREAS OF THE ACFT OR TO ENLARGE THE PULLEY DIAMETER TO INCREASE THE CABLE TO PULLEY CONTACT.

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