A suspected rudder malfunction may have contributed to the crash of a Cessna 310R near Boca Raton, Florida, that killed all three people on board April 11, according to preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
NEVER, under no circumstances, trust the airworthiness of an airplane post-maintenance. per se. Double check if necessary.
Thatâs why my first flight after major maintenance (including an annual) involves a very thorough preflight. The flight is performed solo, day, VFR, light winds, orbiting over the airport while I check the systems. Then I land and check for leaks. Only then will I depart the local area or carry passengers.
I have to wonder if there were some âowner involvedâ maintenance involved and a pencil whipped inspection followed. I canât imagine a licensed mechanic adjusting cable tension to the point of failure. These cables have (should have) been pull tested far beyond any tension ever applied to an aircraft.
FWIW, experienced mechanics have made serious mistakes that have resulted in fatal and near-fatal accidents. Itâs on the PILOT to do a THOROUGH!!! pre-flight is a must ⌠and even thenâŚ
I made the assumption (yes, I know, silly me) that the tension overload could have been caused by the impact.
[The prelim report also notes similar damage to both aileron cables.]
Deleted. This comment on blancorlirio answered my questions:
Thank you Juan-
I knew Bob [owner]
His hanger was across from mine at BCT. I also flew with him in this airplane several times in the months prior to this, several times in the left seat. It was a very well-cared for 310.
A couple of things:
Because I have been flying someone elseâs twin Cessna thatâs parked outside, Iâve been trying to find a rudder gust lock for it, and Bob and I discussed it.
Cessna made a rudder gust lock, but it fastens to the rudder pedals inside the cabin.
I can tell you for certain Bob did not own one.
He son was in the left seat, for what itâs worth.
The airplane did have VGs
One of Bobâs friends who is also an aerobatic pilot as well as a 767 captain pointed out the phenomenon of âcrossover speedâ, wherein with a rudder hard-over you canât accelerate past a certain point or the deflected rudder will overpower the ability of the ailerons to counteract the roll.
The airplane was in a kind of âcoffin cornerâ, and all the armchair pilots saying he should have done this or tried that would not have lasted past the first turn.
He was a very nice man and we will all miss him.
Crossover speed is the speed below which the ailerons cannot control roll with a fully deflected rudder.
Amen. If you donât have time for this you donât have time to load your family.
this = post maint check flt
How many part 121 and part 135 airplanes do you think get post maintenen ce test flights?
Depends on the manufacturerâs maintenance manual. The jet I fly it is mandatory with certain maintenance items. I have always known that a plane has had major maintenance involving control surfaces by checking paperwork, so the first flight I do after that I do a full control check with a second person watching prior to flight. Too many accidents have happened in the past when crews havenât checked and the plane crashed due to controls misrigged.
I have no twin to simulate this condition but am wondering whether asymmetric plus ailerons could overpower full rudder deflection with rudder trim set for left rudder? Overtightening control cables without a tensiometer seems too careless to be likely?
So fly fly fast and land the plane. Sheesh!
That was my thought too. Asymmetric thrust would be pretty darned powerful. I canât help but wonder if the pilot was exactly doing that and unable to climb as a result of reduced/no power on the left engine + drag from the full deflection on the rudder. Also, if a cable snapped, why wouldnât the rudder be able to go neutral? How would one cable failing apply force to the remaining cable that would overpower the natural tendency for the rudder to go neutral? And I donât know on the 310, but depending on how the rudder trim functions, I suspect that would be able to at least maintain a flyable rudder position. Itâll be interesting to see what the NTSB finds.
I suspect that the over tensioning cable damage (including to the aileron cables) was caused by the crash, and not vice versa.
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