Drifter owner

[jb69]

Hi,

 

I am new to the forums, I have a SB582 Drifter at Heck Field. Seem to be spending more time fixing than flying after one of my co-owners damaged the U/C on a heavy landing. Since then one of the replacement legs failed completely after only 6 landings. Am currently awaiting a new bolly prop as the existing brolga was damaged.

 

[ATTACH]11383.vB[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH]11384.vB[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH]11385.vB[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Spin]

G'day JB, that's a sad sight in your photos, hope you get her airborne again soon. I've stuck my nose in at Heck a couple of times lately, recently joined the club. I'll keep an eye open for your machine.

 

Welcome aboard anyway.

 

Cheers Carl

 

 

[dazza 38]

Welcome Jb, i hope you have her flying again soon.

 

 

[KB59]

Hi JB69

 

I am also a Drifter pilot. ( 582 WB )

 

That broken leg looks nasty. Was it a new leg. Do you know what material it is. Do you know if it was tempered.

 

I have just finished putting my landing gear back together. Mine was starting to sag a bit so i pulled them out and reset the legs. While I had them out I removed all the old paint so I could do a good inspection for defects. All looked ok but now that I see your problem ???.

 

It would be good to get some background.

 

Ken

 

 

[Tomo]

Ouch, looks nasty, 2nd time I've seen one like that now. The SB582 leg broke in two at clifton a while back.

 

Welcome along

 

 

[jb69]

Hi, thanks for the warm welcomes.

 

The leg was new replaced after the heavy landing that bent and cracked the original. Both legs were replaced with new ones, I believe these are hardened and sleeved chromoly tube. We have been working with the manufacturer at Dalby to determine the cause and ensure there was not a defect with other legs in the manufactured batch.

 

After consultation with Steve Bell RAA this AN was issued (http://www.auf.asn.au/airworthiness/AN020610-1_drifter.doc) to alert other drifter owners.

 

 

[KB59]

Thanks for the info JB69

 

Was the break clean as in all surfaces clean like you would see if the fracture all happened at the same time.

 

Hi Tomo

 

Where did the other leg brake

 

in the same place.

 

ken

 

 

[Tomo]

From memory (I wasn't there when it happened, was just shown later on) but I think it was about 2/3rds of the way down the leg, actually broke the tube(s). I believe it was from a heavy landing.

 

 

[jb69]

Correct Tomo, the original leg fractured about 1/3 of the way down. Both legs bent after the hard landing one cracked but stayed in one peice. The fractured leg pictured was brand new from the factory and showed no bending at all. The following photos were taken of the fragments a couple of days after the incident.

 

[ATTACH]11387.vB[/ATTACH][ATTACH]11388.vB[/ATTACH][ATTACH]11389.vB[/ATTACH][ATTACH]11390.vB[/ATTACH]

 

The prop appears to have been damaged from striking the bracing wire behind the wing due to the wing flexing back when it contacted the ground. Remarkably there appears to be no damage to the wing tip and the internal bracing wires appear ok.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[XP503]

I trust you will be getting someone who knows Drifters inside and out to go over that airframe with a fine tooth comb.