ACS - CIrrus Power Lever Failure

U.S. Department

of Transportation

Federal

Aviation

Administration

Airworthiness

Concern Sheet

Date: August 16, 2024

Reply to:

Name: Kristi Bradley

Title: Aviation Safety Coordinator

Office: Operational Safety Branch

Street Address: 10101 Hillwood Pkwy

City, State, ZIP: Fort Worth, TX 76177

Telephone: 817-222-5485

Electronic Mail: Kristin.Bradley@faa.gov

Make: Cirrus

Model / Series: SR20/SR22/SR22T

Serial Numbers:

Reason for Airworthiness Concern: Loss of Thrust

Control due to Power Lever Failure

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Description of Airworthiness Concern The FAA recently received a report of a power lever failure on a Cirrus SR20 airplane. While advancing to full throttle in preparation for takeoff, the power lever sheared and the pilot quickly cut fuel to the aircraft and aborted the takeoff. The fleet operator subsequently inspected the remainder of their aircraft and found cracks in 24 of the levers through visual and dye penetrant inspections. Time in Service for the fleet ranged from 2900 to 3900 hours. The aircraft are utilized in a training environment and contained on average 12,000 to 15,000 landings.

The failure and cracks were noted to occur at the region of the lever that has the smallest cross section.

Photos of the failed power lever and crack indications from others in the fleet are shown on the following page. The FAA and Cirrus are currently investigating this concern.

Request for Information

The FAA is interested in receiving any information on damage, cracks, or known failures observed on the power levers in Cirrus SR20/SR22/SR22T airplanes. We recommend operators inspect this area and please provide information including description of damage, available photos, airplane serial number, time in service, and any prior replacement of the throttle assembly or power lever.

Please provide any other information you feel may be helpful for us to consider as part of our evaluation. This Airworthiness Concern Sheet (ACS) is intended as a means for FAA Aviation Safety Engineers to coordinate airworthiness concerns with aircraft owners/operators through associations and type clubs. At this time, the FAA has not made a determination on what type of corrective action (if any) should be taken. The resolution of this airworthiness concern could involve Airworthiness Directive (AD) action or a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB), or the FAA could determine that no action is needed at this time.

The FAA’s final determination will depend in part on the information received in response to this ACS.

The FAA endorses dissemination of this technical information to all manufacturers and requests association and type club comments.

Attachments:

Service Difficulty Report

Accident/Incident Data System

Service Letter / Bulletin

Special Airworthiness Information

Bulletin

Federal Aviation Administration or

National Transportation Safety Board

Safety Recommendation

Airworthiness Directive

Alternate Means of Compliance

Risk Analysis

Transmittal:

Federal Aviation Administration

Airplane Owners and Pilots Association

Experimental Aircraft Association

Type Club

Type Certificate Holder

Other:

Response Requested By:

Emergency

(10 days)

Alert

(30 days)

Information

(90 days)

Figure 1. Upper power lever failure.

Figure 2. Sample cracks found with visual and fluorescent penetrant inspection.