CRACKED RUDDER SKIN

[Flyhighdave]

Bad find yesterday. Discovered cracks in the rudder skin & wonder if I caused them. Monday was the first day getting into the annual & I started by pulling the plane out of the hangar to run it in preparation for the compression check. It’s a T-Tail Lance. While I waited for the mechanic to arrive I started removing inspection covers & fairings which included the 2 piece fairing on the top of the vert. stab. Those familiar will know that one piece of that fairing cannot be completely removed without taking things apart that don’t need to be taken apart for the inspection. When I put the plane back in the hangar I didn’t notice it but that loose fairing shifted down jamming the rudder to the right. Once in the hangar I saw the rudder over to the right even though the nose wheel was straight. The force of the top of the rudder trying to straighten against that fairing put a small bend in the flange at the top of the rudder on its left side. We looked it over & at first look thought that ding was the extent of the damage caused by my carelessness.
Yesterday the mechanic was inspecting the tail area & found 2 cracks in the rudder skin on the left trailing edge. Did I just cause them with my mistake? The mechanic thinks not & that it’s the result of oil canning. I’m not so sure. Those cracks can’t have been there long. I look the plane over well & often before I fly.
Really took the wind out of my sails on what I thought was going to be an easy annual this time. Bummer!

 

[jpuetthoff1]

 

[Flyhighdave]

 

[Ray93J]

 

[GM.]

 

[rwyerosk]

 

[TtailLance]

 

[ycptechcom]

 

[donkep]

 

[JimC]