Service difficulty report · Actuator · Piper PA31T

Difficulty date
July 29, 2014
Submitted
March 12, 2015
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31T
Aircraft time
25,029 hours
Part
Actuator
Part number
758440
Condition
Broken
Location
Lt Mlg
Part time
1,848 hours
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
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) AFTER DEPARTURE THE CREW NOTICED THE L/H MAIN GEAR WAS NOT UP AND LOCKED. AFTER TURNING BACK THE L/H GEAR WAS NOT SHOWING DOWN AND LOCKED. THE TOWER CONFIRMED THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED FOR LANDING. THEY LANDED WITH NO ISSUES. AFTER INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THE L/H MAIN ACTUATOR ROD END WAS BROKE OFF. THIS ROD END IS A TRACKED LIFE LIMITED PART AS PER PIPER SB 1233B. THE ROD END LIFE IS 3000 HOURS WITH NO CYCLE LIMIT. THE ROD END BROKE AT 1848 HOURS ON THE ROD END. THE DAMAGED PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE. AS PREVENTATIVE MEASURES WE ARE REDUCING THE LIFE LIMIT ON THESE ROD ENDS TO 1500 HOURS AND 1500 CYCLES.

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