Non flight safety item on helicopter detected on preflight.

Attributes
ACN	109272
Time
Date	198904
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	109272
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 2650 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	109443
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Pilot reported that the 'top cap' to the tail wheel was cracked. Maintenance was advised and a new part was ordered. The part was not considered a 'safety of flight item'. The cap functions as a spring keeper so as to permit the tail wheel to center when there is no load on the gear, ie, in flight. Another function of the cap is to act as a dust cover for the centering mechanism. It appears that the cap cracks when the aircraft is ground taxied backwards or when the aircraft is ground handled with a tow bar attached to the tail wheel. The cap is a cast magnesium part which seems to be far too fragile. It would seem logical to construct the cap of a sturdier material so as to prevent these failures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON FLT SAFETY ITEM ON HELICOPTER DETECTED ON PREFLT.

Narrative: PLT REPORTED THAT THE 'TOP CAP' TO THE TAIL WHEEL WAS CRACKED. MAINT WAS ADVISED AND A NEW PART WAS ORDERED. THE PART WAS NOT CONSIDERED A 'SAFETY OF FLT ITEM'. THE CAP FUNCTIONS AS A SPRING KEEPER SO AS TO PERMIT THE TAIL WHEEL TO CENTER WHEN THERE IS NO LOAD ON THE GEAR, IE, IN FLT. ANOTHER FUNCTION OF THE CAP IS TO ACT AS A DUST COVER FOR THE CENTERING MECHANISM. IT APPEARS THAT THE CAP CRACKS WHEN THE ACFT IS GND TAXIED BACKWARDS OR WHEN THE ACFT IS GND HANDLED WITH A TOW BAR ATTACHED TO THE TAIL WHEEL. THE CAP IS A CAST MAGNESIUM PART WHICH SEEMS TO BE FAR TOO FRAGILE. IT WOULD SEEM LOGICAL TO CONSTRUCT THE CAP OF A STURDIER MATERIAL SO AS TO PREVENT THESE FAILURES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.