SDR 95ZZZX2637

Service difficulty report · Jackscrew · Cessna 421B

Difficulty date
May 9, 1995
Submitted
March 26, 2000
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N555MY
Make and model
Cessna 421B
Aircraft serial
4210886
Part
Jackscrew
Part number
51152121
Condition
Broken
Location
Rudder Tab
Part time
3,334 hours
Stage of operation
AP
Nature of condition
E, F
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH JUST BEFORE TOUCH-DOWN, PILOT REPORTED SLIGHT OSCILLATION IN RUDDER PEDALS AND A STRANGE VIBRATION TOWARD REAR OF ACFT. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION REVEALED RUDDER TRIM TAB HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE ACTUATOR AT SOME POINT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED RUDDER TRIM TAB ACTUATOR JACKSCREW HAD BROKEN WHERE THE THREADS BEGIN AND THE UNTHREADED PORTION WAS SEVERELY BENT. SUSPSECT CAUSE IS THAT REPEATED GROUND HANDLINGS WITH RUDDER GUSTLOCK INSTALLED PUT UNDUE FORCE AGAINST THIS PART, AS THE RUDDER GUSTLOCK ONLY ENGAGES RUDDER TAB, NOT THE RUDDER.

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