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| Longeron Repair |
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| Downward view showing splice welds, plate welds and cross tube. |
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| After 385 airframe hours, the welded tailwheel attach assembly broke. Failure occurred while taxiing for takeoff. The tail dropped and I had no rudder control. Field inspection showed the tailwheel pushed up to the bottom of the rudder and this assembly was resting on the ground. |
| Grime indicates that the tail-post tube broke first which then overstressed the longerons. They broke several weeks later during taxi. |
| Broken tube assembly removed. |
| The planned repair illustrated by this sketch was closely followed during the actual repair. |
| Splice tubes in position for welding |
| Upward view showing plate onto which a future flat tailwheel spring will be mounted. |
| Aft view |
| Within five days of the break, I was airborne again. Have since put 77hours on this reapir bringing the total airframe hours to 462 as of 03/04/04. |