Introduction
On 10 July 2005, a Cessna 172M registered as I-UDDY was involved in a serious incident at Biella Cerrione Airport (LILE). The aircraft was operated by Aero Club Milano on a training flight with two occupants: an instructor and a student pilot. The flight had departed from Bresso Airport (LIMB) for navigation training.
Event Description
The landing was conducted on runway 16/34 under CAVOK conditions with no wind. Shortly after touchdown, during deceleration, the aircraft yawed to the right. The instructor took control and found the rudder pedals completely ineffective. He applied brakes, and the aircraft came to a stop in the grass alongside the runway, near a parallel taxiway. The aircraft was subsequently taxied back to parking.
Investigation Findings
Examination revealed that the left rudder control cable (part number 05100105-339) had broken approximately 1.5 mm inside the swaged terminal at the forward attachment to the rudder pedal. Visual inspection of the cable showed no signs of corrosion at the fracture site. The break was attributed to fatigue. The maintenance manual for the Cessna 172 series did not require non-destructive inspection at the cable ends, only tension and positioning checks. The last periodic inspection, performed on 5 July 2005, included such checks and found no anomalies.
Additionally, the runway lighting system sustained damage: two runway lights near taxiway R2 were broken during the excursion. The aircraft's occupants were uninjured.
Safety Actions
Following the incident, the Aero Club Milano modified its maintenance procedures for Cessna 172 aircraft to include visual inspection of control cable ends, referencing FAA Advisory Circular AC 43.13 and Piper Service Bulletin 1048 by similarity. The French DGAC had previously issued a recommendation bulletin (BR 2005/14(A)) for inspection of stainless steel control cables on certain Cessna and Piper models, and the UK CAA had issued Airworthiness Notice No. 12, Appendix 65.