Service difficulty report · Access Panel · Cessna 525

Difficulty date
March 17, 2003
Submitted
June 11, 2003
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N177RE
Make and model
Cessna 525
Aircraft serial
5250030
Part
Access Panel
Part number
9914218
Condition
Leaking
Location
Wing Tank
Part time
2,509 hours
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
K
Precautionary procedure
K

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

FUEL BAY ACCESS PANELS CAUSE A FUEL LEAK WHEN INSTALLED AS SPARES REPLACEMENT. AT ALL FASTENER HOLES ON EACH DOUBLER THERE IS PROTRUSION CAUSED BY THE OLD PANELS DESIGNED WITH A MILLED AREA ON BACK SIDE OF COUNTER SUNK FASTENER HOLES. WHEN ORIGINAL PANEL SCREWS ARE TIGHTENED IN ANCHOR NUTS HAVE PULLED DOUBLER MATERIAL INTO THE MILLED AREA OF ACCESS PANELS LEAVING DIMPLE LIKE PROTRUSION UP TO DEPTH OF THE MILLED AREA. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO INSTALL NEW ACCESS PANELS NOT HAVING A MILLED AREA BECAUSE THE OLDER ONES ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE YOU END UP WITH A FUEL LEAK DUE TO THE PROTRUSION HOLDING THE NEW FLAT PANELS AWAY FROM THE FLAT SURFACE OF THE DOUBLER.

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