Inspection Requirement Prompted By an Upper Power Lever Failure

The FAA recently issued a new airworthiness directive (AD) addressing a critical safety issue in Cirrus Design Corporation's SR20, SR22, and SR22T models. This inspection requirement follows an aborted takeoff in a Cirrus SR20 after the upper power lever failed.

After the incident, the agency performed several additional inspections that revealed cracks in the upper power levers of 26 more aircraft. For safety purposes, the FAA skipped over the comment period typically left open before enforcing the directive.

“The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies forgoing notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because cracking in the upper power lever leads to failure of the upper power lever, which could result in loss of engine thrust control and reduced control of the airplane,” it stated.

The directive requires repetitive visual inspections of the upper power lever to detect cracks. If no cracks are identified visually, operators must follow up with a fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) due to reliability concerns with purely visual detection. If cracks are found, the power lever must be replaced immediately. Operators are required to report all inspection findings to the FAA for monitoring.

Probes show that this condition usually affects power levers with a takeoff/go-around switch and develops after 1,200 service hours. Since many SR-series aircraft have exceeded or are nearing this number, the directive mandates the first inspection within 10 flight hours or 15 days after the effective date, whichever comes first.

The original report and subsequent inspections suggest the cracks occur in the smallest cross-section of the power lever, particularly in aircraft subjected to high operational cycles. The training fleet involved in the original incident, for example, reported aircraft with 2,900 to 3,900 hours and 12,000 to 15,000 landings.

Effective December 23, 2024, this AD applies to a significant portion of the SR20, SR22, and SR22T fleet, prioritizing thorough inspections and corrective action to mitigate the risk of upper power lever failure and ensure continued airworthiness.

FMI: www.faa.gov