What happened
During a private training flight at Coonagh Airfield on 29 September 2010, a Tecnam P2002JF, registration EI-LFC, experienced unusual handling during ground maneuvers. After completing a landing, the pilot noted that the aircraft required a much wider turning radius than usual. Upon attempting to backtrack and perform subsequent circuits, the aircraft again failed to turn within the available space.
Following the incident, the aircraft was shut down and manually repositioned. A subsequent inspection revealed that the left-hand rudder pedal assembly had fractured near a welded joint where the nose wheel steering horn is attached. While this failure compromised the aircraft's ability to steer on the ground, it did not impact the pilot's ability to control the rudder during flight.
The investigation
The investigation examined the history of EI-LFC, noting that the aircraft had been repaired following a separate landing accident in 2008. Since that repair, the aircraft had accumulated 351.5 flight hours, during which time it had experienced a series of rudder pedal failures. Specifically, the aircraft had seen two previous pedal failures, and the current incident marked the third. The investigation also found that the right-hand pedal was distorted in a manner similar to previous failures, suggesting a recurring pattern of mechanical stress.
Investigators identified that the "End Run Stop" on the left side was out of position, limiting travel compared to the right side. This stop was either incorrectly set during the 2008 rebuild or had shifted due to pressure during tight turns. Additionally, residual distortion from the 2008 accident may have contributed to misalignment and unintended stress on the assembly.
Findings
- The left-hand rudder stop was misaligned, either due to improper setting or movement caused by pressure during maneuvers.
- The combination of the misaligned stop and the operator's ground maneuvering techniques resulted in loads that exceeded the design limits of the pedal assembly.
- The aircraft had a high frequency of component failure, averaging approximately one failure every 88 hours of flight time.