Canadian authorities are investigating an incident that could potentially affect the airworthiness of thousands of Piper Cherokees. Manitoba flight instructor Tom Larkin was on short final with a student when the control column broke off in his hands. “Somewhere below 50 feet as I eased back on the control column to assist the student with his landing, we heard a loud ‘snap’ and the control column went limp,” said Larkin. “As I always have the student trim for hands-free flight there was no change in aircraft pitch and the aircraft continued to land normally,” Larkin said. “There was no control of the aircraft’s lateral or longitudinal axis. The control columns moved independently for both roll and pitch with no movement of the control surfaces.” A mechanic looked at it immediately and found the t-bar control assembly had broken.
Larkin contacted Transport Canada and the broken part was sent to the Transportation Safety Board and both have issued preliminary reports but it’s not clear what, if any, further action will be taken. Meanwhile Larkin and some local maintenance engineers removed the control column from an unflyable Cherokee of similar vintage and found a crack in the same place using magnetic particle imaging. Larkin said that indicates to him there might be a problem with all older Cherokees and he’s concerned about what he perceives as foot-dragging by the authorities.
