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A piper PA34-200 in cruise at 12000 ft diverted due to limited left rudder movement caused by binding rudder and aileron cables.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 436718 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199905 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : psp.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence Windshear |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | PA-34-200 Seneca I |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v16.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 400 flight time total : 1350 flight time type : 230 |
| ASRS Report | 436718 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : regained aircraft control |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : installation |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
During a return trip to poc, we suffered a rudder malfunction resulting in a very difficult landing of palm springs due to high winds and turbulence. Problem had been noted and written up 3 times prior and was not reported to the NTSB for fear of termination. This plane should be grounded for it may kill someone aircraft xyz. Should this aircraft suffer the failure of its right engine it may cause a crash! The problem with this aircraft had been noted and corrected twice prior. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a piper PA34-200 and had 3 previous reports of rudder limited travel problems. The reporter said maintenance would check the airplane and clear the report with 'checked and found ok for service.' the reporter said the left rudder was limited to 10% of normal travel and when instructing on engine out procedures the airplane was almost lost. The reporter stated the maintenance in this organization is terrible. The reporter said maintenance found binding between the rudder cables and aileron cables and worn rudder pedal bushings.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PIPER PA34-200 IN CRUISE AT 12000 FT DIVERTED DUE TO LIMITED L RUDDER MOVEMENT CAUSED BY BINDING RUDDER AND AILERON CABLES.
Narrative: DURING A RETURN TRIP TO POC, WE SUFFERED A RUDDER MALFUNCTION RESULTING IN A VERY DIFFICULT LNDG OF PALM SPRINGS DUE TO HIGH WINDS AND TURB. PROB HAD BEEN NOTED AND WRITTEN UP 3 TIMES PRIOR AND WAS NOT RPTED TO THE NTSB FOR FEAR OF TERMINATION. THIS PLANE SHOULD BE GNDED FOR IT MAY KILL SOMEONE ACFT XYZ. SHOULD THIS ACFT SUFFER THE FAILURE OF ITS R ENG IT MAY CAUSE A CRASH! THE PROB WITH THIS ACFT HAD BEEN NOTED AND CORRECTED TWICE PRIOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A PIPER PA34-200 AND HAD 3 PREVIOUS RPTS OF RUDDER LIMITED TRAVEL PROBS. THE RPTR SAID MAINT WOULD CHK THE AIRPLANE AND CLR THE RPT WITH 'CHKED AND FOUND OK FOR SVC.' THE RPTR SAID THE L RUDDER WAS LIMITED TO 10% OF NORMAL TRAVEL AND WHEN INSTRUCTING ON ENG OUT PROCS THE AIRPLANE WAS ALMOST LOST. THE RPTR STATED THE MAINT IN THIS ORGANIZATION IS TERRIBLE. THE RPTR SAID MAINT FOUND BINDING BTWN THE RUDDER CABLES AND AILERON CABLES AND WORN RUDDER PEDAL BUSHINGS.
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.