FAA notes Luscombe landing gear corrosion concern

Luscombe Model 8-series airplanes have a history of main landing gear failures caused by moisture accumulating inside the leg above the axle, making it susceptible to corrosion. Internal surface treatment and regular inspection of the lower legs may help mitigate the corrosion-related gear failures, the FAA said.

The FAA recommends that owners and operators of the affected airplanes follow the inspection procedures outlined in The Don Luscombe Aviation History Foundation Service Recommendation No. 4, dated Jan. 22, 1996, which provides instructions for installing a drain hole in the lower portion of the leg, performing repetitive inspections of the gear legs for corrosion, and cleaning and sealing the gear legs’ internal surfaces.

The agency also urges using X-ray or ultrasound inspection methods on the leg-to-axle joint to detect internal rust during initial or follow-on inspections of the gear leg.

The recommendations apply to both conventional and Silflex main landing gear for the aircraft, the FAA said.