This is strange.
Hopefully attached to this posting is a picture of the starboard outrigger
mechanism as we found it on preflight yesterday; ops were cancelled due wx,
and also due to uncertainties about this discovery.
The stiffnut normally securing the rearward part of OR12 spring is only par
tially threaded onto its bolt, and finger loose. The AN960-10L washer is mi
ssing, and OR12 hangs from one end.
An engineer in our group also inspected the locknut and found it satisfacto
ry on a new bolt. The original bolt awaits closer examination, however a ne
w fresh nut was secure when attached to it.
These parts would potentially be missing in any accident investigation sear
ch.
I cannot understand how a stiffnut can come undone in this installation. Th
is assembly was fine when inspected one week earlier prior to a test flight
, during which the gear needed cycling once to achieve an outrigger- retrac
ted green light indication. It was not examined post flight then, but the
aircraft was subsequently unattended.
If we hypothesize that perhaps the washer was missing from the original ass
embly, methinks unlikely, then could the thing manage to self-disassemble i
n the course of one short flight with two gear cycles?
I can think of one _possible explanation for this which is a worrying one,
but perhaps other folks have ideas? No maintenance was needed or carried ou
t on this part of the airframe in recent time.
Glenn Rainey / Martin Burns
G-OJHL
Classic monowheel
Scotland
* my second attempt to post, perhaps the image is a problem. Can anyone hel
p with image posting / hosting?
|