An accident involving a glider in France reminds us why the latest maintenance information matters and why important updates from component suppliers must reach the people who need them.
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What can we learn from a glider accident in France?
On 3 June 2023, a Centrair ASW 20 glider was taking off from Bailleau-Armenonville airfield in France when the pilot lost pitch control. The glider collided with the ground, was destroyed and the pilot was seriously injured.
The French accident investigation authority, the BEA, examined the elevator control connection and identified some important findings.
The elevator ball-and-socket connector showed abnormal wear that had not been detected during the last annual inspection. The components had also been installed for more than 30 years, despite the supplier having introduced a replacement time limit many years earlier.
The investigation could not establish with certainty whether the connector had been incorrectly connected during rigging or had subsequently disconnected under load. However, it revealed an important weakness in the way maintenance information had been communicated.
When the supplier knows something the aircraft owner doesn't
The connector had been manufactured by L'Hotellier, a specialist supplier whose components are used on different aircraft types.
Over the years, L'Hotellier had updated its maintenance instructions, including introducing a periodic replacement requirement for certain components.
The glider manufacturer, Centrair, had been aware of an earlier update but had not passed it on to aircraft operators. It was also unaware of subsequent updates.
This meant that important information about the maintenance and replacement of a flight control component had not reached everyone who needed it.
Following the investigation, the BEA recommended that EASA raise awareness among light aircraft type certificate holders about the need to monitor updates to maintenance information published by critical component suppliers. So here we are - this article is part of that promotion.
Your aircraft is more than the sum of its parts
This lesson goes well beyond gliders.
Whether you fly a light aeroplane, glider or another type of General Aviation aircraft, many of its critical components are made by specialist suppliers rather than the aircraft manufacturer itself.
Those suppliers continue to learn from experience. They may identify new inspection needs, change maintenance procedures or introduce replacement limits.
The challenge is making sure that information reaches the aircraft manufacturer and, ultimately, the organisations and individuals responsible for maintaining the aircraft.
An aircraft might be maintained according to the documents available to its owner or maintenance organisation, but what happens if those documents are missing an important supplier update?
What can we do about it?
For aircraft manufacturers and type certificate holders, the message is clear: actively monitor maintenance information published by suppliers of critical components. Assess new information and make sure relevant changes reach aircraft operators and maintenance organisations.
For aircraft owners, flying clubs and maintenance organisations, it's worth asking a few simple questions:
- Are we using the latest applicable maintenance instructions for our aircraft and its critical components?
- Do we have a reliable way of identifying new service information from manufacturers and suppliers?
- Have any inspection requirements, replacement intervals or maintenance procedures changed?
- When new information arrives, do we assess its applicability and make sure the right people know about it?
For pilots, particularly those who regularly rig and derig gliders, the accident also reinforces the importance of following the applicable assembly, securing and inspection procedures every time.
Keep the information moving
General Aviation aircraft often remain in service for decades. That's one of the great things about our community, but it also means that the knowledge available today can be very different from what was known when an aircraft was first built.
A component that has worked reliably for many years may still be subject to new inspection or replacement instructions based on experience across the fleet.
Good safety depends on that knowledge being shared, assessed and acted upon.
The takeaway? Don't just keep your aircraft maintained. Make sure the information behind its maintenance is kept up to date.
And if you're an aircraft manufacturer or type certificate holder, remember that some of the most important safety information about your aircraft may come from the companies that supply its components.
Further reading: BEA investigation into the Centrair ASW 20 accident, 3 June 2023.
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