Service difficulty report · Cable · Dhav DHC3

Difficulty date
May 25, 2012
Submitted
September 14, 2015
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Dhav DHC3
Aircraft time
15,154 hours
Part
Cable
Part number
C3CF3487
Condition
Broken
Location
Elevator Trim
Stage of operation
AP
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
F
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

(CAN) ON APPROACH THE PILOT IN COMMAND WAS ADJUSTING THE ELEVATOR TRIM WHEN THE THE NOSE SUDDENLY PITCHED DOWN. THE ACFT LANDED SAFELY AND WAS GROUNDED FOR INSPECTION. THE AME DISCOVERED ON INSPECTION THAT THE ELEVATOR TRIM CABLE ON THE REAR SPINDLE HAD BROKEN RT WHERE THE CABLE EXITS THE SPINDLE AND BENDS DOWN INTO THE SPINDLE GROOVES. THE AME BELIEVES THAT THE CAUSE WAS IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE ELEVATOR TRIM CABLE. THE CABLE APPEARED TO HAVE INTERNAL BROKEN STRANDS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY HAVING TOO HARD OF A BEND COMING OUT OF THE SPINDLE AND ONTO THE THE SPINDLE CABLE GROOVES. CAUTION WAS TAKEN WHEN INSTALLING THE NEW CABLE TO ENSURE THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD NOT BE REPEATED.