Service difficulty report · Fabric · Amtr SSD1

Difficulty date
November 14, 2010
Submitted
December 10, 2010
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N921SS
Make and model
Amtr SSD1
Aircraft serial
001
Part
Fabric
Condition
Leaking
Location
Elevator
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
W
Precautionary procedure
K

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

What was found

LT ELEVATOR FILLED WITH WATER FROM OVERNIGHT RAIN, MAKING THE CONTROL SURFACE UNBALANCED. SEVERE ELEVATOR FLUTTER WAS ENCOUNTERED DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE ACFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. BETTER SEALING OF THE FABRIC COVERING AT THE CONTROL HORN AND USE OF MORE AND LARGER WATER DRAIN HOLES, IN THE T/E COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE WATER ACCUMULATION. THIS COULD APPLY TO MOST FABRIC COVERED ACFT.