Service difficulty report · Bellcrank · Bell 429

Difficulty date
November 5, 2013
Submitted
September 14, 2015
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Bell 429
Part
Bellcrank
Part number
429001523101
Condition
Frozen
Location
Collectiv
Part time
1,724 hours
Stage of operation
AP
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
F
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

(CAN) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING FINAL APPROACH TO A LANDING, THE COLLECTIVE FROZE AT APPROX 30 PERCENT WHEN POWER WAS REDUCED. A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FORCE WAS REQUIRED TO PUSH THROUGH THE BINDING TO CONTINUE WITH THE APPROACH. ONCE POWER WAS RE-APPLIED TO ARREST THE DESCENT, THE COLLECTIVE FROZE AGAIN AT 50 PERCENT AND WOULD NOT BUDGE. SINCE MORE THAN 50 PERCENT POWER WAS REQUIRED TO SAFELY ARREST THE DESCENT, PULLED SO HARD THOUGHT THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL WOULD BREAK. THE COLLECTIVE FINALLY RELEASED THROUGH THE FROZEN POINT AND WAS ABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT AND LANDING JUST PRIOR TO GROUND CONTACT.

More about the Bell 429