<p> <strong><font color = "blue">Cessna: T182; Cracked Flap-Track Support Brackets; ATA 5753</font></strong> </p>
<p><em>(An A&P mechanic submitted the following report, detailing his experience with this aircraft's—and a second aircraft's—cracked, flap support brackets. It is well worth a few moments of consideration.) </em></p>
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<p><em>“(This aircraft's) ... </em>R/H flap (P/N 0523901-34) jammed at the inboard attach arms at approximately the 20 degree position—while being retracted in flight. The flap motor continued to run for a period of time (causing severe damage and distortion to the jammed flap) before finally tripping the flap circuit breaker. The outboard end of the distorted flap came in contact with the inboard end of the R/H aileron, causing it to bind in a wing level position. </p>
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<p>The pilot was able to land the plane <em>(at the airport) </em>without further incident. </p>
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<p>“An inspection of the airplane revealed the tip of the R/H inboard flap support arm (part of the flap support arm rib assembly: P/N 0523901-14) came in contact with a bracket on the flap track rib assembly (P/N 1221010-15), causing the flap to bind. <em>(This) </em>flap track assembly is attached to the wing rear spar at wing station 39.00. The bracket that jammed the flap is part of the flap track rib assembly and is used to attach the wing lower trailing edge (P/N 0720601-100) to the flap track rib assembly. Normally, during flap retraction, there is about 1/8th inch clearance between the bracket and the flap attach arm. The bracket was severely damaged during the incident and I wasn't able to determine whether there was any damage to it before the flap bound up. The flap tracks and the flap attach rollers didn't have any abnormal wear, so I suspect the bracket may have been cracked or distorted, causing the incident. </p>
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<p>“The cockpit flap control lever's 10 and 20 degree increment stop detents were worn and may have contributed to the problem by allowing the flaps to be inadvertently lowered beyond the 10 and 20 degree positions at too high of airspeeds. </p>
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<p><em>“(This) </em>airplane was repaired by replacing the R/H flap, including all the rollers, and by replacing both brackets on the inboard flap track rib assembly. The worn increment stop detents were repaired by fabricating a strip with new detents filed in 2024T3 .050 aluminum sheet and riveting it to the forward side of the lower R/H instrument panel, between the slot for the flap control lever and the slot for the flap position indicator. </p>
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<p>“This same problem occurred... <em>(at an earlier date on a Cessna TR182) </em>when the L/H flap bound up while the flaps were being retracted on the ground, following the preflight inspection. I submitted a malfunction or defect report on.. <em>.(this aircraft as well—its time recorded at 4,590.8 hours </em>).” </p>
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<p><em>(A search of the FAA Service Difficulty Reporting System data base revealed four entries for the P/N 0523901-14 R/H, 19 for the -13 L/H, and 40 items for the base number—or minus the last two digits. Catch the similarities in the next submission, and the attached pictures!) </em></p>