Service difficulty report · Elbow · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
May 19, 2009
Submitted
June 16, 2009
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft time
17,279 hours
Engine
Lyc LTIO540J2BD
Propeller
Hartzl HCE3YR2A
Part
Elbow
Part number
AN8374D
Condition
Severed
Location
Actuator
Component
Actuator · Wiebel · WTC21141
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
K, J
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

(CAN) ACFT LOST IT`S MAIN HYD SYS AND SYS FLUID DUE TO A SEVERED FITTING (PN AN837-4D) AT LT MLG INBD DOOR ACTUATOR LWR HYD PORT. CREW RETURNED TO DEPARTURE AFTER T/O AND EXTENDED LANDING GEAR USING EMERGENCY HYD HAND PUMP. MX REPLACED LT MLG INBD DOOR HYD HOSE PN 17766-04, FITTING PN AN837-4D, AND ACTUATOR PN WTC2114-1 DUE ACTUATOR ROD END WAS SLIGHTLY BENT. HYD PUMP FILTERS CHECKED FOR METAL - NONE FOUND. HYD SYS SERVICED, LEAK CHECKED AND LANDING GEAR CYCLED NUMEROUS TIMES TO BLEED SYS AND OPS CHECKED SERVICEABLE IAW MM. ACFT RELEASED FOR SERVICE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE REMOVED DOOR ACTUATOR HYD PORT ALIGNMENT WAS INCORRECT, THE LWR PRESSURE PORT WAS ASSEMBLED SO THAT WHEN ACTUATOR IS INSTALLED LWR PORT IS 10-15 DEGREES TOWARDS RETRACTED MLG TIRE AND WHEN ACTUATOR VIBRATES OR ROTATES TO LIMIT OF ACTUATOR ROD-END PLAY TOWARDS MLG TIRE, LWR FITTING/HOSE CAN CONTACT TIRE. SUSPECT THIS CAUSED LWR FITTING TO SEVERE DURING MLG RETRACTION. NEW INSTALLED ACTUATOR UPPER AND LWR HYD PORTS ARE IN ALIGNMENT AND WHEN INSTALLED PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE RETRACTED TIRE AND ACTUATOR HOSE/FITTING.

More about the Piper PA-31-350