Incident Details
After departing from Redstone Army Airfield, the pilot attempted to level off the airplane at 3000 feet. During this maneuver, he encountered difficulty pushing the nose over. The issue lessened when nose-down trim was applied and power was reduced. As the airplane accelerated, a severe vibration developed, which also diminished when power was reduced.
After investigating the problem, the pilot observed visible damage to the right elevator. He then executed a precautionary landing back at the departure airfield.
Examination Findings
An examination of the elevator revealed a chordwise split and corrosion in the trim tab. Additionally, a chordwise split was found in the elevator itself, which resulted from the oscillation of the trim tab during flight.
Service Bulletin
Cessna Service Bulletin SEB92-1 had been issued in January 1992. It recommended a modification to strengthen the trim tab to prevent cracks from forming. The bulletin specified that this modification be accomplished within the next 100 hours of operation or 12 months, whichever occurred first. However, the service bulletin had not been complied with.