<< >> NASA ASRS Report 601877, December 2003

A PA30 was disassembled, painted and reassembled. Aircraft was inspected and returned to service. On test flight, pilot had no rudder control.

Attributes
ACN	601877
Time
Date	200312
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-30 Twin Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2542 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	601877
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : person 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	faa : investigated other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : work cards performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : unqualified personnel performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

After aircraft was disassembled, painted and reassembled, and inspected by an ia/ap, the aircraft was returned to service. After liftoff on takeoff, there was no rudder control. The aircraft was successfully landed with no damages or injuries. Subsequent inspection determined both rudder cables had not been connected. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated this incident of the loss of rudder control could have resulted in a fatality if not for the rudder trim being connected. The reporter said after landing, it was discovered the exit door would not operate and the reporter was trapped in the airplane. The reporter stated that after reporting the malfunctions to the facility, it was discovered the rudder control cables were not connected to the rudder horn, but a signoff existed for having been accomplished. The reporter said it was the same story with the door handle found not connected to the operating rods. The reporter stated that it was apparent the local FAA office should be and was advised.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA30 WAS DISASSEMBLED, PAINTED AND REASSEMBLED. ACFT WAS INSPECTED AND RETURNED TO SVC. ON TEST FLT, PLT HAD NO RUDDER CTL.

Narrative: AFTER ACFT WAS DISASSEMBLED, PAINTED AND REASSEMBLED, AND INSPECTED BY AN IA/AP, THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC. AFTER LIFTOFF ON TKOF, THERE WAS NO RUDDER CTL. THE ACFT WAS SUCCESSFULLY LANDED WITH NO DAMAGES OR INJURIES. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION DETERMINED BOTH RUDDER CABLES HAD NOT BEEN CONNECTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS INCIDENT OF THE LOSS OF RUDDER CTL COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FATALITY IF NOT FOR THE RUDDER TRIM BEING CONNECTED. THE RPTR SAID AFTER LNDG, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE EXIT DOOR WOULD NOT OPERATE AND THE RPTR WAS TRAPPED IN THE AIRPLANE. THE RPTR STATED THAT AFTER RPTING THE MALFUNCTIONS TO THE FACILITY, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE RUDDER CTL CABLES WERE NOT CONNECTED TO THE RUDDER HORN, BUT A SIGNOFF EXISTED FOR HAVING BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THE RPTR SAID IT WAS THE SAME STORY WITH THE DOOR HANDLE FOUND NOT CONNECTED TO THE OPERATING RODS. THE RPTR STATED THAT IT WAS APPARENT THE LCL FAA OFFICE SHOULD BE AND WAS ADVISED.

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.