Service difficulty report · Actuator · Eclips ECLIPSEEA500

Difficulty date
August 8, 2012
Submitted
September 4, 2012
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N218JT
Make and model
Eclips ECLIPSEEA500
Aircraft serial
47
Aircraft time
1,100 hours, 1,400 cycles
Engine
Pwc PW610FA
Part
Actuator
Part number
EM411512
Part serial
51
Condition
False Activation
Location
Zone 700
Part time
1,100 hours, 1,400 cycles
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
G, F, S
Precautionary procedure
H

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

What was found

ACFT STARTED TO GET AN INTERMITTENT CAS MESSAGE FOR LANDING GEAR FAIL DURING MX TAXI /ENGINE RUN. ACFT WAS SHUTDOWN AND PULLED INTO THE HANGER TO TROUBLESHOT ACFT. WHEN ACFT POWER WAS REAPPLIED DURING A WALK AROUND TO INSPECT LANDING GEAR ACTUATORS WHILE UNDER THE ACFT INSPECTING THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR. THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR CAME ON UNCOMMANDED AND RETRACTED THE NOSE GEAR WHILE THE MX PERSONNEL WAS UNDER THE AIRCRAFT. NOTE AIRCRAFT WAS ON THE GROUND WITH 3 GREEN PRIOR TO UNCOMMANDED RETRACTION, WAS ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE THE GEAR COLLAPSED FULLY CAUSING DAMAGES TO BOTH GEAR DOORS. THE ACFT WAS JACKED AFTER THE GEAR COLLAPSED AND WHILE ON JACKS THE PROBLEM WAS DUPLICATED SEVERAL TIMES. THE NOSE GEAR AFTER ABOUT 5 SECS WITH POWER ON RETRACTS ON ITS OWN. THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO A FAULTY NLG ACTUATOR BY THE MFG. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE KILLED OR ENDANGERED MANY PEOPLE LIVES IF WE HAD BEEN FLYING THAT DAY.