PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Maintenance Technician 1
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Aircraft returned from [a] training flight and reported a loss of elevator control. Upon inspection of the horizontal stabilizer control system; a broken cable was found. The lower stabilator control cable was found broken at the stainless steel threaded cable end along the run between the balance weight tube and the turnbuckle in the aft fuselage. Further inspection of the break found corrosion around the stainless steel end of the cable and on the turnbuckle itself. The cable break occurred in an area that is inspect-able; but was missed on 100hr inspection. Aircraft was in compliance with AD 2013-02-13 but the inspection was performed 6 years prior to this incident.
A call was made to the reporter and the following questions were asked as well as the reporters responses:1) What is the subject aircraft manufacture date?Aircraft is a 1981 PA-28.2) What were the accomplishment dates of the AD mandated inspections per Service Bulletin 1245A done on the subject aircraft?AD 1245A specifies inspection every 7 years or 2;000 hrs; whichever comes first; and this aircraft was inspected in 2015.  Corrosion was missed during the annuals because this area is very hard to get to for inspection; and they have taken steps to assure it will be caught earlier going forward.  The other 5 PA-28s in their company fleet show no corrosion in that area.
Aircraft Maintenance Technician inspecting PA-28-181 aircraft reported finding a broken Lower Stabilator control system cable. Cable was broken due to corrosion. This damage is the subject of AD 2013-02-13.