An example of piss poor maintnenace!

[astjp2]

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20070508X00523&ntsbno=CHI07LA104&akey=1

This guy got killed by using harbor freight type junk nicropresses/crimper ...

I bought one of these crimpers from lowes and its not even good enought to use on my jeep cables..Tim

[Doc]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

Unfortunately, this is why the FAA is going nuts with us. The right tools and hardware are very expensive, but we are holding ourselves to a professional standard in a life-threatening situation. I am sorry for the lost airmen. Doc

[VictorBravo]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

I believe any crimping tool can work safely (maybe not legally), but the key is using a "Go / No-Go" gauge.

Way back in the distant past at A&P school, they had one of these little precision gap gauges. If you could slide the gauge over the finished Nicopress swage, you are good to go. If you cannot slide it on over the swage then it has not been compressed enough and it is NO-go.

It SEEMS to me that any crimping tool that will make the swage tight enough to slide the gauge over (and with the same width crimps), should yield a swage of the same strength.

Now if the actual swaging sleeve itself or the cable was Harbor Freight stuff instead of a Nico brand sleeve and airplane cable... then there could be a materials issue.

[high time cub]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

http://www.wicksaircraft.com/catalog/product_detail.php/pid=9103~subid=9060/index.html

http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1992/AAIR/pdf/ASOR199201237.PDF

The Nicopress tool I've been using for the last 40 years, has the gauge attached to the handle. (Note the hole in the gauge for this purpose)

HT.

[bashibazouk]

Re: An example of piss poor maintenance!

Interesting that the accident report for the Pitts in Oz indicated that the improperly swaged cables failed on impact and probably not in flight. Didn't seem to affect the outcome-- but I have to hand it to the accident investigators there and here in the US as well who look at all of the details of a crash and arrive at a cause. Forensics at its best.

[Bruce]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

On a slow high wing, wouldn`t it work to use opposite rudder to maintain directional control? I know of someone taking off and landing a champ with aileron gust locks on ( by mistake, of course) by using rudder only. I don`t think I`ll try it with my TCraft to find out! ! ! !

[VictorBravo]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

I know of someone taking off and landing a champ with aileron gust locks on ( by mistake, of course) by using rudder only.

(In my best Star Wars "Yoda" voice)

HMMMM ! Knowledge of the Force do you seek ?

An apprenticeship of building model airplanes must you live... and complete flights using only rudder shall you learn !

But beware, Down that road once you start, turning back you cannot... The Dark Side shall you embrace, and forever will you smell like Castor Oil and dust of Balsa !

[N74DV]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

just for fun I have flown our Tcraft with rudder, power and elevator trim only one entire time around the patch. About 10 seconds after take-off to just about 30' before touchdown.

So long as you never let the bank angle exceed about 15° or try to chase pitch with trim or power it works great. Something all of you should do just to get the feel for it.

I know I could survive a landing with just rudder, power and pitch trim. If I lost power and elevator/aileron control it'd sure make it hard but probably survivable as well.

One of my first RC airplane kits was a Sig Kadet. 3 channel only. no ailerons. Flew great. So does a GWS Slow Stick, also 3 channel.

If a plane has a good amount of dihedral and rudder authority it's totally doable.

[PT13Pilot]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

I landed a Champ when I was in high school, left the runway, and when I stomped the rudder and brake to spin around in front of the hangar all I got was a free pedal. One cable (probably homeade) pulled the sleeve and let go. Glad it waited till I was in front of the hangar!
Practicing control inops are fun to see what can be done. Unless it was really windy/bumpy I don't think it would be hard to put one down and keep your butt in one piece. And on a fairly calm day saving the airplane shouldn't be too hard either. I've flown quite a few airplanes to within flair height with trim and power, not hard at all. And have let some lowly rented 150's/172's touch down that way. It's fun.
And most of these old airplanes don't have ailerons, they're just adverse yaw generators. They turn better with rudder only than aileron only.
CJ

[flyguy]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

There was a piece of advice I heard for if you get into IFR, even with turbulence, to just leave the wheel/stick alone and center the turn indicator with your feet. The plane will handle the pitch part just fine by itself. I tried it in moderate bounce and it works. It is a good last-ditch procedure if you cannot handle working on the gauges, or get vertigo, or whatever.
If someone had taught John-John that he might still be with us.
DC

[jgerard]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

when they say "improperly swaged" are they talking about the amount of squish, or number/sequence of crimps?

[VictorBravo]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

when they say "improperly swaged" are they talking about the amount of squish, or number/sequence of crimps?

The amount of squish determines the strength of the swage.

The order in which the crimps are made affects the developed length of the cable and/or how tight the thimble is captured in the loop.

I am guessing that there is also a type of "improperly swaged" process where you do too much squish, so the final wall thickness of the swaged sleeve is now too thin and can be bent or cracked.

[jgerard]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

I was asking about this particular crash report.

I'm an A&P and I repair aircraft for a living. I have made a lot of cables to replace improperly swaged/crimped examples that I've found in aircraft. Every time I inspect an airplane I am amazed at what other mechanics consider airworthy and/or properly installed. It seems like being lazy or cheap overrides legal and proper way too often.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: An example of piss poor maintnenace!

I found a local rebuild project where the owner had not used the three crimp method with the proper tool, THE ONLY tool I use is the approved nico press tool developed by AT&T way abck AND I check it with the guage taht is hung on the handle. Back at Lock Haven a few Taylorcraft were put together by former Piper employees with only TWO crimps that had been approved fro Piper. They were all caught with a SB at that time ( I hope).
Use Approved Methods & Practices guys these are certified aircraft. Use your A&P . Use his IA. Educate them if you have to.