Airworthiness Directive affects thousands of Cessnas

The US Federal Aviation Administration just announced a new Airworthiness Directive affecting thousands of single-engined Cessnas. The AD - effective 12 November 2020 - covers Cessna 172, 182, 206, 207 and 210 airplanes. It requires inspecting the lower forward area of the cabin door frame where the wing strut attaches. A&Ps are supposed to inspect for fatigue cracks in that area. The FAA specified an inspection interval of every 36 months or 1,000 hours in service.

This should be nothing new to long-time Cessna owners because it repeats two earlier Cessna Single Engine Service Bulletins: CSEB93-5 (Sept 8, 1995) and CSEB96-19 (Dec 29, 1995).

If cracks are found, the area must be reinforced by a Cessna repair service kit. FAA estimates cost of compliance at US$1,900. Once the CRSK is installed, the inspection schedule reverts to the usual 50 and 100 hour intervals along with annual inspections.

2 hours ago, riggerrob said:

The US Federal Aviation Administration just announced a new Airworthiness Directive affecting thousands of single-engined Cessnas. The AD - effective 12 November 2020 - covers Cessna 172, 182, 206, 207 and 210 airplanes. It requires inspecting the lower forward area of the cabin door frame where the wing strut attaches. A&Ps are supposed to inspect for fatigue cracks in that area. The FAA specified an inspection interval of every 36 months or 1,000 hours in service.

This should be nothing new to long-time Cessna owners because it repeats two earlier Cessna Single Engine Service Bulletins: CSEB93-5 (Sept 8, 1995) and CSEB96-19 (Dec 29, 1995).

If cracks are found, the area must be reinforced by a Cessna repair service kit. FAA estimates cost of compliance at US$1,900. Once the CRSK is installed, the inspection schedule reverts to the usual 50 and 100 hour intervals along with annual inspections.

Both of our C-182s passed the inspection. The cost of installing the kit on a 182 would really be about $15,000 CAD. The kit alone is USD $7,489.83 list price.

AD 2020-18-01 

On Cessna 182's, the AD is for 182E, 1962 and newer.  The 1956 - 1961 struts attach directly to the airframe bulkhead.  It is a pain to remove the lower bolt because you have to work through 2 inspection holes in the floor, usually cutting your wrists on the sharp edges.  The "E" model and later have a fitting fastened to the bulkhead that sticks out past the outer skin.  It is much easier to remove the lower strut bolt because you are not working through the inspection holes.  Most jump planes have the interior removed making it a little easier to do the inspection.

3 hours ago, gowlerk said:

Both of our C-182s passed the inspection. The cost of installing the kit on a 182 would really be about $15,000 CAD. The kit alone is USD $7,489.83 list price.

Yingling has the kits at $6740.85. The AD is not going to be rescinded. There is always a chance that when you need the kit they'll be in short supply. Get ahead of things, if there was ever an awesome Christmas gift for your wife this is it.

1 hour ago, JoeWeber said:

Yingling has the kits at $6740.85. The AD is not going to be rescinded. There is always a chance that when you need the kit they'll be in short supply. Get ahead of things, if there was ever an awesome Christmas gift for your wife this is it.

Yes, 10% off list is pretty standard. The inspection will need to be done every 3 years or 1000 hours from now forward. We have a six month off season here. We will schedule inspections for the end of the season and hope that 6 months is enough time to find the kit if needed.

My wife has a story about her first husband buying her a snowmobile for Christmas one year. She does not ride them.

7 minutes ago, gowlerk said:

Yes, 10% off list is pretty standard. The inspection will need to be done every 3 years or 1000 hours from now forward. We have a six month off season here. We will schedule inspections for the end of the season and hope that 6 months is enough time to find the kit if needed.

You have to feel the love from Cessna, 10% off or no, $7K US is a huge percentage of the value of some of the affected fleet. Brutal.

17 minutes ago, JoeWeber said:

You have to feel the love from Cessna, 10% off or no, $7K US is a huge percentage of the value of some of the affected fleet. Brutal.

Gotta pay to play.

On 11/19/2020 at 2:12 PM, gowlerk said:

Both of our C-182s passed the inspection. The cost of installing the kit on a 182 would really be about $15,000 CAD. The kit alone is USD $7,489.83 list price.

Whoever said that the FAA was any good at accounting?

Hah!

Hah!

Who would have expected that we would still be jumping from Cessnas that are old enough to join Skydivers Over Seventy?

Hah!

Hah!

Thankfully all the World War 2-surplus DC-3s and Beech 18s have retired from hauling skydivers.

Mind you, I was injured when a 50-year-old Beechcraft King Air crashed.

For the first three years, airplanes, cars, parachutes, etc. need little maintenance, so you can blame the factory, but after 3 years, responsibility shifts to the mechanic or rigger.

16 hours ago, riggerrob said:

Who would have expected that we would still be jumping from Cessnas that are old enough to join Skydivers Over Seventy?

Joke's on you--ours are all old enough to be unaffected by the AD!

23 hours ago, nwt said:

Joke's on you--ours are all old enough to be unaffected by the AD!

The FAA just issued AD 2020-21-22.   Within the next 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the effective date of this AD or within the next 12 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter every 500 hours TIS or 5 years, whichever occurs first, visually inspect each stabilizer hinge bracket, tailcone reinforcement angle, corner reinforcement, stabilizer hinge reinforcement channel, stabilizer hinge assembly, stabilizer aft spar reinforcement, and the lower half of the stabilizer aft spar from station (STA) 16 on the left side to STA 16 on the right side for corrosion and cracks; remove any corrosion; and replace any part with a crack by following the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraphs 9

This AD applies to Textron Aviation Inc. (type certificate previously held by Cessna Aircraft Company) Models 180, 180A, 180B, 180C, 180D, 180E, 180F, 180G, 180H, 180J, 180K, 182, 182A, 182B, 182C, 182D, 185, 185A, 185B, 185C, 185D, 185E, A185E, and A185F airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any category.

https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgad.nsf/0/2b1748995176e04686258629004a0191/$FILE/2020-24-06.pdf

The Cessna 182E and later are affected by AD 2020-18-01, the strut attachment and the Cessna 182D and earlier are affected by the tail cone AD 2020-21-22.

Looks like they got everybody.

46 minutes ago, Bigfalls said:

The FAA just issued AD 2020-21-22.   Within the next 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the effective date of this AD or within the next 12 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter every 500 hours TIS or 5 years, whichever occurs first, visually inspect each stabilizer hinge bracket, tailcone reinforcement angle, corner reinforcement, stabilizer hinge reinforcement channel, stabilizer hinge assembly, stabilizer aft spar reinforcement, and the lower half of the stabilizer aft spar from station (STA) 16 on the left side to STA 16 on the right side for corrosion and cracks; remove any corrosion; and replace any part with a crack by following the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraphs 9

This AD applies to Textron Aviation Inc. (type certificate previously held by Cessna Aircraft Company) Models 180, 180A, 180B, 180C, 180D, 180E, 180F, 180G, 180H, 180J, 180K, 182, 182A, 182B, 182C, 182D, 185, 185A, 185B, 185C, 185D, 185E, A185E, and A185F airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any category.

https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgad.nsf/0/2b1748995176e04686258629004a0191/$FILE/2020-24-06.pdf

The Cessna 182E and later are affected by AD 2020-18-01, the strut attachment and the Cessna 182D and earlier are affected by the tail cone AD 2020-21-22.

Looks like they got everybody.

Well, shoot. Doesn't look too bad if no cracks are found. I think you linked to the wrong one though. Here's what I found: https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgad.nsf/0/c8c585a037fe19ee862586140053ce37/$FILE/2020-21-22.pdf

1 hour ago, nwt said:

Well, shoot. Doesn't look too bad if no cracks are found. I think you linked to the wrong one though. Here's what I found: https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgad.nsf/0/c8c585a037fe19ee862586140053ce37/$FILE/2020-21-22.pdf

Sorry, I looked at that one first and copied the wrong link.  The one you posted is correct.