With the recent completion of the NTSB accident report involving a stuck rudder during spin training, there is a high probability that an Airworthiness Directive (AD) will be issued for the inspection and/or replacement of the rubber rudder stops on 150 & 152 models. Excerpts of the NTSB report are listed below.
History of Rudder Bumpers
In a correctly installed system, the rudder bumper assemblies consisted of two brackets; with one bracket attached to the left side of the rudder horn, and one bracket attached to the right side of the rudder horn. Each bracket had a lip at one end, which contacted their respective rudder stop (bolt). When the rudder traveled to its full left limit, the right side bracket would contact the right stop, preventing further travel. When the rudder traveled to its full right limit, the left side bracket would contact the stop, preventing further travel.
Review of airplane maintenance records revealed that there was no specific mention of the rudder bumpers during the 28-year history of the airplane. There were some records of work performed near the rudder bumpers:
On March 7, 1988, the rudder cables were removed and replaced.
On August 25, 1991, the lower rudder fairing was replaced.
On August 1, 1998, the left hand aft rudder cable fairlead was replaced.
On November 30, 2000, the rudder cables attach point bushing was removed and replaced.
On October 17, 2002, the aft left rudder cable was removed and replaced.
The airplane was last painted on August 29, 1997. The paint on the inverted rudder bumpers was consistent with that paint job. The investigation could not determine if the rudder bumpers were inverted at the time of production, or if they had been inverted during the maintenance history of the airplane.
On January 22, 2001, Cessna Aircraft Company issued Service Bulletin SEB01-1, and designated it mandatory. The purpose of the service bulletin was to provide an enhanced rudder stop, bumper, doubler and attachment hardware designed to assist in preventing the possibility of the rudder overriding the stop bolt during full left or right operation of the rudder. Specifically, the new rudder stop was much larger than the original rudder stop. The service bulletin had not been complied with on the accident airplane, and under 14 CFR Part 91, was not required to be complied with.
On October 10, 2003, Transport Canada issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) CF-2000-20R2, which made the service bulletin mandatory for all applicable Canadian registered airplanes.
At the time of the accident, the FAA had no similar AD. During the course of the accident investigation, the FAA began procedures to issue a similar AD. The AD would make the service bulletin mandatory and require a check of the correct orientation of the rudder bumpers.
HELPDESK Wrote:
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> With the recent completion of the NTSB accident
> report involving a stuck rudder during spin
> training, there is a high probability that an
> Airworthiness Directive (AD) will be issued for
> the inspection and/or replacement of the rubber
> rudder stops on 150 & 152 models. Excerpts of the
> NTSB report are listed below.
>
> History of Rudder Bumpers
>
> In a correctly installed system, the rudder bumper
> assemblies consisted of two brackets; with one
> bracket attached to the left side of the rudder
> horn, and one bracket attached to the right side
> of the rudder horn. Each bracket had a lip at one
> end, which contacted their respective rudder stop
> (bolt). When the rudder traveled to its full left
> limit, the right side bracket would contact the
> right stop, preventing further travel. When the
> rudder traveled to its full right limit, the left
> side bracket would contact the stop, preventing
> further travel.
>
> Review of airplane maintenance records revealed
> that there was no specific mention of the rudder
> bumpers during the 28-year history of the
> airplane. There were some records of work
> performed near the rudder bumpers:
>
> On March 7, 1988, the rudder cables were removed
> and replaced.
>
> On August 25, 1991, the lower rudder fairing was
> replaced.
>
> On August 1, 1998, the left hand aft rudder cable
> fairlead was replaced.
>
> On November 30, 2000, the rudder cables attach
> point bushing was removed and replaced.
>
> On October 17, 2002, the aft left rudder cable was
> removed and replaced.
>
> The airplane was last painted on August 29, 1997.
> The paint on the inverted rudder bumpers was
> consistent with that paint job. The investigation
> could not determine if the rudder bumpers were
> inverted at the time of production, or if they had
> been inverted during the maintenance history of
> the airplane.
>
> On January 22, 2001, Cessna Aircraft Company
> issued Service Bulletin SEB01-1, and designated it
> mandatory. The purpose of the service bulletin was
> to provide an enhanced rudder stop, bumper,
> doubler and attachment hardware designed to assist
> in preventing the possibility of the rudder
> overriding the stop bolt during full left or right
> operation of the rudder. Specifically, the new
> rudder stop was much larger than the original
> rudder stop. The service bulletin had not been
> complied with on the accident airplane, and under
> 14 CFR Part 91, was not required to be complied
> with.
>
> On October 10, 2003, Transport Canada issued
> Airworthiness Directive (AD) CF-2000-20R2, which
> made the service bulletin mandatory for all
> applicable Canadian registered airplanes.
>
> At the time of the accident, the FAA had no
> similar AD. During the course of the accident
> investigation, the FAA began procedures to issue a
> similar AD. The AD would make the service bulletin
> mandatory and require a check of the correct
> orientation of the rudder bumpers.
>
