Service difficulty report · Cylinder · Piper PA22108

Difficulty date
April 9, 2010
Submitted
April 23, 2010
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N4521Z
Make and model
Piper PA22108
Aircraft serial
228008
Engine
Lyc O235C1B
Propeller
Snsnch M76AM
Part
Cylinder
Part number
09100300
Condition
Corroded
Location
Lt Mlg Brakes
Part time
2,440 hours
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

LT BRAKE LOCKED UP ON LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. INSP REVEALED THAT (1) BRAKE PISTON WOULD NOT FULLY RETRACT INTO THE CYLINDER WHEN THE COCKPIT BRAKE HANDLE WAS RELEASED. AFTER DISASSEMBLY, CORROSION WAS FOUND IN THE ID OF THE CYLINDER CIRCUMFERENCE WHERE THE PISTON O-RING RESTS. THE PISTON WOULD NOT FREELY SLIDE THROUGH THIS AREA BY HAND. IT IS LIKELY THAT HYDRAULIC PRESSURE WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE PISTON UP THROUGH THIS CORRODED AREA OF THE CYLINDER TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THE RETURN SPRING WAS UNABLE TO SLIDE IT BACK. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE SHOE TO DRAG AND GRAB THE DRUM, THUS LOCKING UP THE WHEEL. RECOMMEND A PERIODIC CHECK OF THE BRAKE CYLINDER OPERATION. ESPECIALLY ACFT THAT ARE INFREQUENTLY FLOWN. IF A PISTON DOES NOT SMOOTHLY RETRACT, THE CYLINDER ASSY SHOULD BE DISASSEMBLED, CLEANED AND COMPONENTS REPLACED AS NEEDED.

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