Gear switch broke in half?

[Pinecone]

On 6/12/2025 at 6:30 PM, Vance Harral said:

Oh c'mon, this is just stupid. The fact I only pointed out 3 examples doesn't mean there have only been 3 failures ever.

Look at the picture yourself, from that thread.  More than half of the threaded portion of the attach point for the plastic wheel-shaped knob is broken off.  This is not just a failure of the plastic.  If you want to quibble that a different part of the metal shaft broke vs. the OP in this thread, then sure, it's a different failure mode.  Whatever.

 

 

Same as the OP in this thread, the shaft broke close to the base such that it could have only been actuated with tools.  No, I wasn't the guy with my hand on the switch, but I believe my airplane partner when he said he applied only a moderate amount of force.

Some of you guys seem to think these switches can only break when a neandrathal lunk applies hundreds of pounds of force to the switch without pulling it out of the unlock position.  I'm not buying it.  If that's what's really happening, why do the little locking tabs that prevent the shaft from moving - which are smaller than the shaft itself - show no damage in the photos above?

I'm sure that's true when they're brand new.  As I've already explained, I think decades of normal use - with a few incorrect operations exactly as you describe from time to time - can fatigue the metal.  As I recall, you're the same guy who keeps arguing that properly lubricated landing actuator gears will also never wear out.  You have a lot more faith in the lifetime of this stuff than I do, but you do you.

Good point.  Why do some airplanes have big, robust gear switches, if there's nothing wrong with the design of the tiny little ones?

Now we have 4 stories.  But I guess everyone who broke the gear switch - the OP's mechanic and my airplane partner and JTR's wife included - are all ham-fisted idiots who deserve what they get.  Roger that.

So how many have occurred?   No one else has stepped up to say, HEY this happened to me too.

The switch in the picture is still usable to put the gear down.

And, so you point out, these switches are old, probably all are original.  So, do you design for wear and tear over 50 years on all equipment?