Service difficulty report · Damper · Diamon DA40

Difficulty date
March 30, 2022
Submitted
October 19, 2022
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N285DS
Make and model
Diamon DA40
Aircraft serial
40265
Engine
Lyc IO360M1A
Propeller
Mtprop MTV12B
Part
Damper
Part number
D4132232033B
Condition
Unserviceable
Location
Nlg
Component
Nlg Strut · Diamon
Component part number
0000
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
O
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

WHILE DISASSEMBLING NLG ELASTOMER PACK FOUND NLG DAMPER ROD TO BE EXTREMELY WORN. MEASURED WARE TO BE ~2MM OF MISSING MATERIAL. PER SB40-082 THIS IS OUT OF LIMITS. IF WEAR CONTINUED, NLG STRUT COULD BECOME DISATTACHED FROM CENTER ENGINE MOUNT ATTAC POINT, AT THO DAMPER ROD, CAUSING NLG TO BE UNUSABLE ON LANDING. ATT DA40'S IN MY FLEET (5) HAVE WEAR AT THE DAMPER ROD, 3 OF WHICH ARE OUT OF LIMITS PER SB40-082. RECOMMEND A NEW AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE REFERENCING SB40-082, REQUIRING INSPECTION WITHIN 200 HOURS TIS AFTER THE AD DEFFECTIVITY DATE, OR 3 MONTHS, AND EVERY 1000 HOURS AFTER THAT. IN ADDITION, THE FINDINGS SHOULD BE REPORTED TO THE FAA AND DIAMOND AIRCRAFT. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURED ON 40.285 TT 4856.6, 40.370 TT 5186.8 AND 40.655 TT 2907.0. PLEASE LET THIS SINGULAR M OR D SERVE AS A MDR FOR EACH OF THE AIRCRAFTS.

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