Issues Three Recommendations, Primarily For Older Planes

Some very important notices for pilots of Cessna single-engine aircraft... as on Wednesday the NTSB issued three safety-related recommendations for owners of 1960-1985 Cessna aircraft.

The first recommendation affects owners of pre-1966 vintage Cessna planes, and calls for an immediate inspection of the control yokes used in those aircraft. The NTSB says approximately 12,500 Cessnas were manufactured with the acrylic plastic "hoop"-type control wheels, which could develop cracks and snap at just the wrong time -- as one did back in 2004, right as the pilot of a 1965 Cessna 205 flared for landing in Page, AZ. The incident led to a hard landing... and a prop strike.

The NTSB says Cessna was aware of the problem as early as 1964 -- and that the company called for a one-time check then. The FAA also issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in 2000, seeking comments on a proposed airworthiness directive to deal with the problem. After only four complaints were received by the agency, however, the issue was dropped.

Shortly after issuing the 1964 service letter, Cessna switched to magnesium-braced control yokes... but there are a lot of vintage Cessnas still flying out there with the all-plastic yokes, and the NTSB says it may just be time to reconsider that AD.

More Inspections For Foam-Filled Elevators

The second and third safety recommendations address issues with foam-filled elevator and trim tabs in more than 16,000 Cessna 206-, 207-, and 210-model airplanes manufactured between 1960 and 1986.

When building those planes, Cessna filled the control surfaces with foam to help the aluminum-skinned components retain their shape... and it worked, but the NTSB says the design allows moisture to become trapped between the aluminum and the foam, leading to corrosion and severe flutter of the controls.

The NTSB says that very problem contributed to the 2004 loss of a Cessna 210... and may have contributed to an earlier accident in 1997, as well.

Again, Cessna knew of the problem -- and in 1985 issued a service recommendation calling for regular inspections of those control surfaces. Cessna also made available retrofit kits for most of the affected planes, that used plastic spacers... instead of foam... in the control surfaces.

However, only a handful of those kits have been distributed, the NTSB says... as owners are leery of the high replacement cost. The agency is calling for additional inspections of planes with the foam-filled elevators... as well as replacement of those parts when necessary.

Now comes the question... who's going to pay for that?

FMI: Read The NTSB's Safety Recommendations Here And Here