Incident Details
On June 27, 2020, during a preflight inspection of a Tecnam P2008JC MKII aircraft (registration SP-LFE) on the parking apron at EPPT, the pilot observed damage to the elevator. Specifically, there was play in the elevator attachment point and sagging on the right side. The damage rendered the elevator control inoperative.
Cause
The investigation determined that the cause of the incident was a fracture of the elevator hinge pin, which occurred due to corrosion.
Corrective Actions
In response to the incident, the operator immediately halted all flights on Tecnam P2008 aircraft and ordered the return of any such aircraft that were airborne to EPPT. As part of the repair, all hinge pins in the elevator system on SP-LFE were replaced as a preventive measure. Additionally, a one-time inspection of all Tecnam P2008 aircraft operated by the user was conducted. After the inspections and necessary work, along with test flights, the aircraft were cleared to resume normal flight operations.
No contributing factors were identified, and no safety recommendations were issued.