Service difficulty report · Spar · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
December 26, 2011
Submitted
September 14, 2015
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft time
20,664 hours
Engine
Lyc LTIO540J2BD
System (JASC)
5711 · Wing Spar
Part
Spar
Part number
404870607
Condition
Buckled
Location
Wing
Part time
20,849 hours
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
9
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) DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION, WITH ACFT ON JACKS, FOUND RT UPPER WING SKIN BUCKLING BETWEEN WS 30.0 & WS 49.0, BOTH FWD & AFT SKINS. ALSO FOUND, AFT RT WING UPPER SKIN SLIGHTLY BUCKLED AND LIFTING AT FWD. MAIN SPAR JOINT AT WS49.0 & FUSELAGE BS 137.0 JOINING. NO UPPER SKIN BUCKLING NOTED ON LT WING. FOUND BUCKLING OF MAIN SPAR WEB PLATES, BETWEEN UPPER & LOWER SPAR CAPS, ON LT & RT SPAR WEB AT WS 30.0-49.0. BOTH WING SPARS, NO SEVERE TURBULENCE OR OVER-WEIGHT LANDINGS REPORTED. ACFT REMOVED FROM SERVICE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND ACFT FOUND WITH THIS CONDITION BY THIS OPERATOR.

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