PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Maintenance Inspection Authority; Maintenance Powerplant; Maintenance Airframe
Maintenance Inspector 2; Maintenance Technician 5
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Human Factors; Incorrect / Not Installed / Unavailable Part; Aircraft
All indications were that the repair was airworthy; aircraft was flying fine and compression on the two new cylinders was good. After approximately 10-hours of flight time; the pilot reported that the engine was making a knocking noise and elected to land. The Maintenance Facility removed the rocker box cover on the suspected cylinder and found that the rocker arms were on the wrong side causing a misalignment. The cylinders were received from the Overhaul Facility and placed on the aircraft. I should have checked to make sure the correct part number was on the correct side. I assumed that they were. The plane landed without incident and the customer's aircraft is receiving warranty work.
An Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) with Inspection Authority; reports a Piper PA28 Cherokee Six elected to land after the pilot reported the Lycoming IO-540 engine started making knocking noise. Two overhauled cylinders had been installed just ten flight hours earlier.