- Joined
- Mar 24, 2017
- Messages
- 38
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I had a strange thing happen with my E model Aztec. I took off and retracted the gear and everything worked normally. As I entered the pattern to land, when I put the gear handle down, the doors opened but the gear did not come down. The up-locked light went out and no down lock lights, also no nose gear in the mirror on the cowl. I tried and put the handle up to re-cycle it and it would not retract either. I manually put the handle back to neutral and exited the pattern to work on the problem. Once out of the pattern I tried the flaps a small amount to see if they would extend, and they did extend. I retracted the flaps and again tried the gear, nothing. I again extended the flaps completely just to make sure they would completely extend since I had only put them down a small amount previously, they fully extended. I retracted the flaps and then was preparing to try the manual extension, however when I put the gear handle back down, 3 green and visual in the mirror. I landed without problem.
I checked the fluid level and only added about 10 oz before it started running out on the drain, (I am assuming this about the amount it pukes when you service it on the ground). I put the airplane on jacks and cycled the gear probably 15 times with the manual pump trying to duplicate the problem and couldn't. I connected a mule and still couldn't duplicate the problem. I then took the plane out and run it, when I operated the flaps everything worked normal, but when putting the gear handle down it would take probably 30 seconds to lock back to neutral. Reconnected the mule and performed the same test, gear handle would return to neutral in approximately 5 seconds. Removed the pump and the accessory shop said it wasn't even repairable, so purchased an overhauled unit. Installed the pump and now the gear handle now returns to neutral in about 5 seconds, same as the mule.
My question in all of this is would the anti-retract keep the gear from coming down if it was malfunctioning? Looking at the manual it wasn't real clear. I am just wanting to know for my own clarification of the operation. Also, maybe someone like Philiplane can tell me, is there anything else I need to check before returning to the air? I want to make sure I have covered everything I need to check, I don't want to risk any further problems.
I checked the fluid level and only added about 10 oz before it started running out on the drain, (I am assuming this about the amount it pukes when you service it on the ground). I put the airplane on jacks and cycled the gear probably 15 times with the manual pump trying to duplicate the problem and couldn't. I connected a mule and still couldn't duplicate the problem. I then took the plane out and run it, when I operated the flaps everything worked normal, but when putting the gear handle down it would take probably 30 seconds to lock back to neutral. Reconnected the mule and performed the same test, gear handle would return to neutral in approximately 5 seconds. Removed the pump and the accessory shop said it wasn't even repairable, so purchased an overhauled unit. Installed the pump and now the gear handle now returns to neutral in about 5 seconds, same as the mule.
My question in all of this is would the anti-retract keep the gear from coming down if it was malfunctioning? Looking at the manual it wasn't real clear. I am just wanting to know for my own clarification of the operation. Also, maybe someone like Philiplane can tell me, is there anything else I need to check before returning to the air? I want to make sure I have covered everything I need to check, I don't want to risk any further problems.
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