Service difficulty report · Contact · Cessna 180E

Difficulty date
July 7, 2012
Submitted
July 9, 2012
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N2624Y
Make and model
Cessna 180E
Aircraft serial
18051124
Engine
Cont O470*
Part
Contact
Part number
M3081
Part serial
04192012
Condition
Defective
Location
Magneto
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R, J
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

THE PILOT NOTICED A SLIGHT POWER LOSS IN FLIGHT. A MAGNETO CHECK REVEALED AN ALMOST COMPLETE POWER LOSS WHEN THE RT MAGNETO WAS SWITCHED OFF. THE PILOT LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. LT MAGNETO WAS REMOVED AND DISASSEMBLED. INSPECTION OF THE CONTACT POINTS,ONE OF THE CONTACTS WAS FOUND TO HAVE LOOSENED FROM THE STEEL MATERIAL OF THE CAM FOLLOWER THAT IT IS PRESSED INTO. THE CONTACT MATERIAL IS "RIVETED" INTO THE CAM FOLLOWER. IT APPEARED THAT THE RIVETED CONTACT POINT WAS MFG IN A "LOOSE" CONDITION AND NORMAL VIBRATION ELONGATED THE FOLLOWER MOUNTING HOLE TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. THIS SUBMITTER HAS REPLACED THIS PART ASSEMBLY IN HUNDREDS OF MAGNETOS AND THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE MODE IS A FIRST TIME EVENT.

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