The Commander Owners Group (COG) has received “several” reports from Commander 114 owners about cracks in and around the elevator hinge assemblies and spars, and is encouraging owners to check their aircraft and report their findings. COG does not know if the issue is widespread and is seeking information from the Commander community and asking that they help spread the word. The group is taking a leadership position and offering help to owners by providing a suggested inspection procedure and a survey form to track results.
Those specific resources are available online for Commander owners. COG’s online survey page is now available to collect information about the breadth and nature of the problem. The group suggests that aircraft be inspected by a mechanic following the provided elevator spar inspection guide and report (PDF). After your mechanic performs the check as directed by the guide, COG asks that you have him or her fill out the post-check report (available on the Elevator Survey page, above) online. The organization intend to act as a central collection point for information and will make the findings available to its members.
