Service difficulty report · Cylinder Head · Piper PA28180

Difficulty date
April 29, 2013
Submitted
February 28, 2014
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N15248
Make and model
Piper PA28180
Aircraft serial
287305043
Engine
Lyc O360A4A
Part
Cylinder Head
Part number
AEL85099IR
Condition
Fractured
Location
Engine
Part time
882 hours
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

ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEAD FRACTURED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ADJACENT TO UPPER EDGE OF STEEL CYLINDER BARREL ON 4/28/13 DESPITE A SATISFACTORY COMPRESSION CHECK (79/80) 4 DAYS PRIOR 4/25/13, WITH NO USE IN THE INTERIM. HEAD SEPARATION OCCURRED AT HIGH POWER SETTING, TAKEOFF, JUST AFTER ROTATION. COMPRESSION CHECKS WERE PERFORMED AT EACH OIL CHANGE/ 50 HOURS EVEN THOUGH AD 2009-26-12 DOES NOT APPLY IAW SN OF THE CYLINDER ASSY. PROBABLE CAUSE WOULD BE DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE CYLINDER HEAD, INADEQUATE MATERIAL QUALITY, AND/OR POOR QUALITY CONTROL DURING MFG OF THE CAST CYLINDER HEAD. UNLESS/UNTIL MFG MAKES OR HAS MADE A CHANGE TO ITS CYLINDER HEAD MATERIAL OR DESIGN, TO FURTHER EXPAND AD 2009-26-12, APPLICABILITY TO INCLUDE LATER CYLINDER ASSY SN.

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