RV-12 Pilot Step Broke 6-30-2013

USE YOU OWN BEST JUDGEMENT :

While getting into my RV-12 to fly to a fly-in breakfast in Wisc., my step broke off. I am in fairly decent shape, and was awake, and caught myself from falling all the way backward to the concrete. I was not hurt. About me. I am 6' tall, and weigh 210 - 215#. In the winter with full winter clothes, I'd guess 225# would be about correct. I have 535 hours on my plane. Simple math would seem to indicate I have gotten into and out of it at least 1,000 times roughly. I feel the metal fatigued and it broke where the cut out is for the mounting surface. I bent it back as straight as I could BEFORE I took the first picture, but the step was straight down. A small area on the bottom was all that was holding it.

I wire welded it, then ground it to a fairly smooth surface, then bent some 1/8" steel strap to fit the curve of the piece. I put a strap on top and bottom. I ground the welds down decently, then put body filler over the area to make it less noticeable. I fit it by cutting the fuse opening to allow the thicker piece, and tried it out by jumping on it a few times. Very solid now. I then took it home and painted it and put it back on. MY OPINION IS ; if you weigh less than 200#, I would think you have little to worry about. If you are over 200#, you might want to consider doing something such as I did. I sent a note to Vans. They asked if I had seen any cracks. HONESTLY, you have to be down on your knees to see the area that failed, so I don't think it would be something many would do normally. I am offering this for your information only.

https://picasaweb.google.com/107137346756760260138/RV12StepBroke?authkey=Gv1sRgCNP_zJ3ow6mthgE#

RV-12 Step compared to Navion step

If my memory serves me correctly, aren't you the first builder to fly your RV-12? If that is so yours could be the "fleet leader" in terms of flying hours. However, it might be better to count the cycles of entering and exiting the aircraft, so maybe the hours are not a true indicator of cycles on the step.

The repairs you made to the step should serve you well. Thanks for taking the time to post it and to notify Van's of this serious problem.

When I first saw the step on the RV-12, it reminded me of the step on the Navion, because it was in front of the wing. Budd Davisson evaluated the Navion on his Airbum site, and one thing he was impressed with was the step: "...The welded step that dangles down in front of the wing is not only made of steel, but the step portion is of diamond pattern boiler plate! Yep, that said as much about the airplane as anything. Every little piece of the airplane was built to give service for the next several hundred years."

Of course, the Navion was produced before anyone had even conceived the idea of Light Sport Aircraft!

Thanks for the Pirep on the step. Although I have only stood on mine a few times, at a weight of about 230 fully dressed, it just seemed a bit flimsy for my weight. I might just put a reinforcement on mine before painting also.

Thanks John, at 235 lbs. I think I will re-enforce this area before a problem arises.

Hey John, glad you weren't hurt. I often thought to myself if that thing breaks off the hurty on your leg could be really nasty. Either the weld was defective, or the load/cycles too great. Maybe it was designed with the average 170lb pilot in mind, but I will look closely at mine anyway. Thanks for the heads-up.
Dick Seiders 120093

Hey John,

Glad you weren't hurt. I can't even guess how many times the steps on New Blue have been used. Over 500 hours on the airplane, over 200 demo flights given and probably at least 500-600 folks in and out of it at shows. Just did the annual on it and all looked fine to me. But I'll keep checking. Thanks for letting us know.

Hey Mitch & others - -

I'd guess my weigh is the main factor. I'd guess someone at say 175#, would get 5 times the life I did. My weigh fatigues the metal faster. I know it always felt a tiny bit 'springy'. Now it really feels solid. I am going to a fly-in this morning. Should be 2 - 3 other RV-12's there. I will stand on theirs briefly to see how it feels by comparison. Again, if under 200#, I'd probably not worry about it. Could be technique also in getting in and out. I walk off the plane forward, and I don't think put much stress on the step. Getting in, I put fairly high stress on it. Again, I am in fair shape, and kinda spring up the first step. Might have taken it's toll.

I think you touched on it. Overweight and very bad knees, I sort of jump on such aids instead of the smoother moves of my youth, especially getting in.

JBPILOT said:

Could be technique also in getting in and out. I walk off the plane forward, and I don't think put much stress on the step. Getting in, I put fairly high stress on it. Again, I am in fair shape, and kinda spring up the first step. Might have taken it's toll.

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Not saying it is for certain, but your technique could have a lot to do with the step failure John.

We never let people climb off the demo airplanes in that direction. It requires landing on the step, not just transferring your weight to it. Think of it as g loading. It is very easy to (for just an instant) induce a load triple (or more) what just your static weight would be.

I highly recommend that anyone with an RV-12 (or any other RV model for that matter), learn to climb off exactly in reverse of how they climbed in.
It will be much easier on the step, you will be much less likely to take a nose dive to the ground (none of us would climb down a ladder facing away from the ladder, and on the other RV models, it is much less likely for flap damage to occur.

Hey Scott - -

appreciate your comments. I think if you actually watched me, I put less stress on it getting out than in. Might be the way I do it, but I for sure would say I stress it more getting in.

Today was a perfect day to make side by side comparisons. There was a Fly-in at Iowa Falls, Iowa this morning, and there was 3 RV-12's there. The guys watched as I got up on the step of theirs, and said they could see it give some. Mine now is absolutely solid. I am at 210# right now, and that is the least it ever sees. I absolutely believe it fatigued from hundreds of cycles, There is not much metal there. Again, if under 200#, I'd likely say forget it. For others, be aware you can take a tumble. I was lucky it happened in front of my hagar. I went in a got a socket and removed it, and went to the fly-in. Just put my knee on the pad and got in ok.

My RV-12 Step Broke 7-29-2013

Same comments as John except deduct 15lbs from his weight. S/N 120046 with 272 hrs. Had it welded last night and reinstalled it this morning prior to flight. Plane always hangared, no rust, hole in top plugged. Looking at the break, it appears about half of it has been cracked for some time.
Jimbar