The FAA issued an airworthiness concern sheet (ACS) after a cockpit power lever fractured on a Cirrus SR20 as the pilot advanced the throttle for takeoff. The pilot cut fuel to the engine and safely aborted the takeoff. Follow-up visual and dye-penetrant examinations by the training fleet operator revealed cracks in 24 more aircraft. The original failure and the cracks discovered in the remaining aircraft all were located near the section of the power levers with the smallest cross section. The ACS covers all SR-series Cirrus models, including the SR20, SR22 and SR22T.
According to the ACS, total airframe times for the operator’s training fleet ranged from 2,900 to 3,900 hours, with an average of 12,000 to 15,000 landings per aircraft—between 3.8 and 4.1 landings per flight hour.
The ACS notes the FAA is looking for any information from other operators on damage, cracks or other known failures of Cirrus power levers, writing, “We recommend operators inspect this area and please provide information including descriptions of damage, available photos, airplane serial number, time in service, and any prior replacement of the throttle assembly or power lever.”
As of yet, the agency has not determined what corrective action, if any, it should mandate as a result of the ACS. It cited the options of an Airworthiness Directive (AD) or a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB).
