Service difficulty report · Attach Fitting · Eclips ECLIPSEEA500

Difficulty date
March 14, 2009
Submitted
March 15, 2009
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Eclips ECLIPSEEA500
Aircraft serial
28
Part
Attach Fitting
Condition
Loose
Location
Lt Wing
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

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

What was found

LAST YEAR ABOUT THIS TIME WE WERE PERFORMING PERFORMANCE MODS ON THE ACFT. FOUND THE MAIN WING ATTACH POINTS TO HAVE EXCESSIVE PLAY ON BOTH WINGS WHEN ACFT WAS ON JACK. ENGINEERING LOOKED AT THE DATA WE PRESENTED TO THEM AND SAID "THE PLAY WAS WITHIN LIMITS." HAVE WORKED MANY ACFT AND NEVER SEEN THIS CONDITION ACCEPTABLE. IT HAS APPROX .020 TO .030 PLAY AT MAIN WING ATTACH FITTING. WHICH AT THE WING TIPS = OUT TO ABOUT 8 INCH. ENGINEERING DID NOT SPECIFY ANY ADDITIONAL INSP REQUIREMENTS. BELIEVE THIS WAS A COVER UP BY UPPER MANAGEMENT AT THE TIME SO THAT THE PRODUCT WOULD NOT BE DAMAGED. I AM HIGHLY CONCERNED THAT IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. THERE ARE MANY OTHER ITEMS ON THIS ACFT THAT NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO AS WELL SUCH AS AVIONICS SYS. FIRE PROTECTION AGENT IS SEVERALLY CORROSIVE WITH IN A DAY IF THE AGENT IS NOT FOUND LEAKING IT EATS STAINLESS STEEL AND ALUMINUM VERY QUICKLY. THE RT ENGINE IS EFFECTED SEVERAL BECAUSE THE IMPENDING BYPASS SWITCH FOR THE FUEL CONTROLLER IS DRIPPED ON BY THE AGENT AND COULD CAUSE AN UNSAFE CONDITION IF THERE IS BLOCKAGE WITH FUEL THE INDICATION MY NOT BE RECORDED. AT THE TIME,DID NOT REPORT IT BECAUSE MFG SCARED EMPLOYEES WITH THERE NONDISCLOSURE AGREEMENT AND TERMINATION IF ANY INFORMATION WAS LEAKED OUT. AC NR SERIAL NR 28 WAS THE AIRCRAFT THAT THE WINGS WERE FOUND LOSS ON.