Help, I think I broke my airplane

[Ragsf15e]

Ok, from the beginning, this is my fault as the PIC... I did the walk around.

My F Just came out of annual.  Lots of stuff done... Surefly, other mag IRAN, new overhauled cylinder, G5s x 2, etc.  So I go pick up the airplane to do the ground engine run as called for by lycoming and then fly it to start breaking it in.  My mechanic is there, releases it to me, we both go through the engine carefully after the ground engine run and then I go fly it.  2.5 hours.  High power 75%+ as called for in the break in instructions.  Fast.

After retuning mechanic looks it over carefully again for leaks.

Here comes the good part...

Next time I go flying, it’s breezy and I notice both nose gear doors flapping in the breeze.  They are disconnected, bolts are in the rod ends with nuts on them but not connected.  Holy $&%#!  They were never reconnected after the annual.

So other than a scratch where it looks like the doors rubbed against the cowl flap next to it, where else should I be looking for damage?  The piano hinge has some play but I think it was similar before?

I plan to be with my mechanic as we jack up the airplane and swing the gear next week.

Its a sick feeling in my stomach as I think I could have jammed the doors in the nose gear somehow but instead I got lucky.

[carusoam]

Thank Al Mooney when you get time... such things are designed to not be critical to flight...

Did you hear any odd/unexplained vibration sounds?

You may want to write yourself a checklist / todo list / something to remind you of all the things that have been touched during the time off at annual...

Check all the bolts on the cylinders again... 

First flight after annual deserves the extra precaution for everything on the ordinary pre-flight check list... tugging on things that can get loose... not just looking... airleron control rods, exhaust pipes, tail lift...

The good news... you have proof that you are human.

Thanks for discussing your experience...

Best regards,

-a-

[Ragsf15e]

I didn’t hear anything abnormal but that could be my Bose anr working.

 I did do a few speed runs at different altitudes and power settings as I was breaking in the cylinder and I was wondering why I was about 3kts slower than before the annual.  I’m pretty sure I now know why.

[Immelman]

If the gear went up and down and did not jam....you made out okay. And probably learned something about how to inspect the airplane after maintenance.

I will bet you a beer the only damage is a scratch in the paint here or there.

 

[Ragsf15e]

2 hours ago, Immelman said:

If the gear went up and down and did not jam....you made out okay. And probably learned something about how to inspect the airplane after maintenance.

I will bet you a beer the only damage is a scratch in the paint here or there.

 

Thanks, I sure hope you’re right about learning something... and it would be nice if there’s no damage, but I still feel terrible about it.

[cliffy]

You might be lucky  You are human!

Jack it up check out the nose gear and doors.

Wire the doors open and raise the gear looking for anything out of place.

Now close the doors by hand and see if they fit properly

Look at the closing rods for bends  Lower the gear 

Then hook them up and carefully raise the gear (maybe in spurts) as you check it from below

Raise and lower several times to make sure everything is good.

Go have a beer to celebrate. 

 

[takair]

What Cliffy said.  You should be fine.

[orionflt]

The gear door system is very simple, but complex at the same tome. If you do not see any damage to the doors then you did not damage the gear. By design the doors, connected or not will not interfere with landing gear operations unless the pilots side door is adjusted/ is too far in and the gear catches it when retracting. It this point you will damage the door but not the gear. If you have a Jonhson bat you would feel the binding. The electric gear would probably pop the breaker due to the load on the motor. Since your doors appear undamaged the air load probably spread them open during take off and kept them that way for the flight. 
 

Brian 

[Pete M]

Every retract i fly, i tug on the gear doors to make sure they're not loose. Exhaust as well. 

[BDPetersen]

I believe I have been guilty of the same. No harm, no foul. Just when we were sure we were invincible . . .

[EricJ]

I tap on the nose gear doors and cowl flaps as part of preflight inspection, just to assess stuff like this.   It's also another chance to make sure there aren't oil streaks or puddles in new places or of bigger sizes than usual.   It sound to me like you probably made out okay if nothing is obviously bent or smooshed.   You probably just flew around with the nose gear doors open for a while.

 

[Yetti]

Hinges and hinge attach points took the most abuse.  inspect and fly.

[bradp]

Jack up inspect and all will be well.  Your cowl flap hinges will fail in a couple of years regardless :-)

[Ragsf15e]

So you guys were right, no damage except to my ego.  Small scratch on both gear doors where they pressed against the cowl flaps.  Ugh, why do I have to keep learning lessons that I already should know?

[Hank]

1 hour ago, Ragsf15e said:

So you guys were right, no damage except to my ego.  Small scratch on both gear doors where they pressed against the cowl flaps.  Ugh, why do I have to keep learning lessons that I already should know?

Welcome to the ranks of Humanity!! We've all been there, and likely will all be there again . . .

[Seymour]

2 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Ugh, why do I have to keep learning lessons that I already should know?

 

On 2/15/2020 at 10:36 PM, cliffy said:

Raise and lower several times to make sure everything is good.

Go have a beer to celebrate. 

 

If you followed ALL the advice from @cliffy you wouldn't feel so bad about the learning!