Service difficulty report · Bulkhead · Piper PA31

Difficulty date
April 10, 2000
Submitted
January 19, 2001
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Piper PA31
Aircraft time
11,149 hours
Engine
Lyc TIO540A2C
Part
Bulkhead
Part number
52694005269401
Condition
Cracked
Location
Fuselage
Part time
11,156 hours
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

(CAN) UPON INSPECTION, A SMALL BULGE AND CRACK WAS FOUND ON THE FUSELAGE EXTERIOR AT THE WING FRONT SPAR ATTACH AREA ON BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. FUSELAGE INTERIOR WAS REMOVED AND THE SIDE FLANGES ON THE BULKHEAD ASSYS WERE FOUND TO BE CRACKED. NO ABNORMAL HARD LANDINGS WERE REPORTED. A NEW IMPROVED BULKHEAD IS AVAILABLE WITH MORE FLANGES AT TOP AND BOTTOM. SUBMITTER STATED THE AREA OF FAULT IS WELL HIDDEN BEHIND INTERIOR PANELS AND FUSELAGE STRUCTURE.

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