A B727 IS FLOWN FOR 4 FLTS WITH A TOP RUDDER MALFUNCTION. AFTER A REQUIRED FLC INSPECTION FOR THE FIFTH FLT; IT WAS DISCOVERED AND ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM SVC FOR MAINT ACTION.

Narrative

ON TAXI OUT; DURING FLT CTL CHK; I MOVED THE RUDDER PEDALS AND THEY MOVED FULL DEFLECTION; BUT THE RUDDER POS INDICATOR SHOWED BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM RUDDER MOVED FULL DEFLECTION L; THE BOTTOM RUDDER SHOWED FULL DEFLECTION R; AND THE TOP RUDDER SHOWED ONLY 1/3 R DEFLECTION. WE TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP AND HAD MAINT CHK THE RUDDER FOR MOVEMENT. MAINT RPTED THAT THE RUDDER WAS OPERATING NORMALLY; AND THEREFORE THE CREW WROTE UP THE RUDDER POS INDICATOR AS INOP. THIS MAINT CARRYOVER REQUIRED A CHK BEFORE EACH FLT. WE COMPLIED WITH RESTRS AND OPERATED FLT TO DEST. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE PICKED UP THE SAME SHIP IN SLC. PRIOR TO DEP; WE ASKED MAINT TO PERFORM THE VISUAL CHK OF RUDDER OP. THEY INFORMED US IT WAS A FLC CHK AND THE SO INSPECTED/OBSERVED RUDDER OP WHILE THE FO OPERATED RUDDERS. THE RUDDER POS INDICATOR SHOWED THE SAME INDICATIONS AS IT HAD WHEN THE WRITEUP WAS MADE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. THE SO RPTED THAT THE RUDDER WAS NOT OPERATING NORMALLY. THE UPPER RUDDER WAS NOT MOVING FULL R JUST AS THE POS ON THE COCKPIT INDICATOR DISPLAYED. MAINT WAS CALLED OUT AND DISCOVERED THAT A SKIN COMPONENT 'RUDDER HINGE COVER' WAS DAMAGED AND HANGING UP ON A SKIN COMPONENT ON THE VERT STABILIZER. MOVEMENT OF THE UPPER RUDDER WAS BEING BLOCKED TO THE R. MAINT REMOVED THE RUDDER HINGE COVER AND THE RUDDER MOVED FREELY R AND L; AND THE INDICATOR IN COCKPIT SHOWED FULL MOVEMENT BOTH R AND L WITH NO OTHER MAINT TO THE INDICATOR. THE RUDDER HINGE COVER IS REQUIRED FOR FLT AND THE FLT WAS CANCELED.