Service difficulty report · Bellcrank · Cessna 421B

Difficulty date
December 7, 2005
Submitted
June 6, 2006
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Cessna 421B
Aircraft time
9,726 hours
Engine
Cont GTSIO520H
Propeller
Mcauly 3AF34C92
Part
Bellcrank
Part number
08411066
Condition
Broken
Location
Mlg Door
Part time
9,696 hours
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
9
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

AIRCRAFT LAND GEAR EXTENSION CARRIED OUT AS NORMAL ON AIRPORT APPROACH. ON THE GROUND, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR INBOARD DOOR WAS NOT CLOSED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION BY AN AME, RT GEAR DOOR RETRACTION SYSTEM BELLCRANK P/N 0841106-6 WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY AND HAD BROKEN IN TWO. A NEW BELLCRANK HAS BEEN INSTALLED AND THE GEAR SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHECKED FOR SIGNS OF STRESS, RUBBING OR INTERFERENCE. ALL WITH NO FAULTS FOUND. SEVERAL GEAR RETRACTION TEST HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT. THE LEFT GEAR DOOR MATCHING BELLCRANK HAS BEEN CHECKED FOR CRACKS USING MAGNAFLUX FLUORESCENT PENETRANT. THE FAILED BELLCRANK DID SHOW SIGNS OF A WORKING FATIGUE CRACK AND CONSEQUENT FAILURE.

More about the Cessna 421B