Elevator Damage Mystery

Hi, all... while preflighting my RV-10 yesterday, I noticed this.







I have no idea how this happened. I'm the only one with access to the hangar, and I've left the airplane unattended only a couple times recently for lunch lately. Damage is to the underside of the elevator only--nothing on the top or trailing edge, and the paint is perfect. One of the pictures makes it look like the trim tab is close to interfering, but that's not the case. I had it panted 6 months ago (at GLO), and Grady doesn't remember seeing that damage. I'll admit to not always doing the most thorough preflight, and the light from the hangar door makes it more difficult to see, but I doubt I could have missed this for very long.

Anyone ever find themselves in a similar situation? I'd feel better if I had just pushed it into something--at least I'd know what happened. It doesn't look to me like this is a safety issue, though I've sent a question to Van's to make sure, and I'll keep an eye out for cracking in the future. Any suggestions on how to fix it? I'm inclined to leave it as-is if it's just a cosmetic issue.

-Rob

IMHO it was damaged before painting. It looks like it was dropped.

Many years ago I did a preflight on a Cessna and noticed the trim tab much lower than it should have been. Upon closer inspection it turned out that someone had backed into the Cessna against the trim tab and bent the actuator arm in half. It would have been a very difficult to control that elevator on take off. Since then I always walk around the plane before every take off especially looking to see if someone did damage to my elevator.
So yes, it happened to me in similar fashion.
It's hard to tell how or when that happened but I can't imagine you would not have noticed that buckled skin for six month.

Doesn't appear to be Hanger Rash!

I've had some hanger rash on the outboard right elevator and this doesn't look like rash. If there's no scuffing or paint damage, good chance that happened before final paint.

My guess is that someone backed into it (and the paint was not bent enough to show the marks)

kevinh said:

My guess is that someone backed into it (and the paint was not bent enough to show the marks)

Click to expand...

I agree, one time I had a fried sit on a trim tab the same happened on the trailing edge.