The javelin wing flying wire support connector broke on 1 wing of a small aircraft sel bi-plane caus...

Attributes
ACN	289086
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dxr
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dxr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Christen Eagle II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	289086
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While practicing aerobatics in christian eagle ii biplane, javelin which connects flying wires and landing wires on left wing broke. Middle section of javelin departed the aircraft. Flying wires on left wing vibrated quite a bit at anything over 15 inches of manifold pressure. Called dxr tower while 20 northeast and explained situation. I requested priority handling for landing if possible. (Dxr's pattern gets very busy on wkends and often times they will request a circle or go around to make way for other traffic. I wanted to avoid having to add power above 15 inches manifold pressure if possible.) on arriving back at dxr, I was cleared to land on runway 26 (the active was runway 35 at the time). The tower had called the local fire department. Trucks were standing by at the approach end of runway 26. I landed without incident and taxied to the hangar I keep the plane in. The trucks followed even though I explained to the tower that there was no need. I visited the tower and explained what had happened and thanked them for their help. I will carefully check each javelin before each flight to ensure that it has not gotten out of alignment. (The factory that produces the plane advises that vibration can sometimes cause the javelins to become misaligned. The flying wires can then put bending moments on the javelin causing it to fail.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE JAVELIN WING FLYING WIRE SUPPORT CONNECTOR BROKE ON 1 WING OF A SMA SEL BI-PLANE CAUSING MODERATE VIBRATION AND THE PLT TO LIMIT THE ACFT SPD AND LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Narrative: WHILE PRACTICING AEROBATICS IN CHRISTIAN EAGLE II BIPLANE, JAVELIN WHICH CONNECTS FLYING WIRES AND LNDG WIRES ON L WING BROKE. MIDDLE SECTION OF JAVELIN DEPARTED THE ACFT. FLYING WIRES ON L WING VIBRATED QUITE A BIT AT ANYTHING OVER 15 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE. CALLED DXR TWR WHILE 20 NE AND EXPLAINED SIT. I REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING FOR LNDG IF POSSIBLE. (DXR'S PATTERN GETS VERY BUSY ON WKENDS AND OFTEN TIMES THEY WILL REQUEST A CIRCLE OR GAR TO MAKE WAY FOR OTHER TFC. I WANTED TO AVOID HAVING TO ADD PWR ABOVE 15 INCHES MANIFOLD PRESSURE IF POSSIBLE.) ON ARRIVING BACK AT DXR, I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 26 (THE ACTIVE WAS RWY 35 AT THE TIME). THE TWR HAD CALLED THE LCL FIRE DEPT. TRUCKS WERE STANDING BY AT THE APCH END OF RWY 26. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TAXIED TO THE HANGAR I KEEP THE PLANE IN. THE TRUCKS FOLLOWED EVEN THOUGH I EXPLAINED TO THE TWR THAT THERE WAS NO NEED. I VISITED THE TWR AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THANKED THEM FOR THEIR HELP. I WILL CAREFULLY CHK EACH JAVELIN BEFORE EACH FLT TO ENSURE THAT IT HAS NOT GOTTEN OUT OF ALIGNMENT. (THE FACTORY THAT PRODUCES THE PLANE ADVISES THAT VIBRATION CAN SOMETIMES CAUSE THE JAVELINS TO BECOME MISALIGNED. THE FLYING WIRES CAN THEN PUT BENDING MOMENTS ON THE JAVELIN CAUSING IT TO FAIL.)

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

The javelin wing flying wire support connector broke on 1 wing of a small aircraft sel bi-plane causing moderate vibration and the pilot to limit the aircraft speed and land as soon as possible.