Service difficulty report · Rib · Piper PA28181

Difficulty date
January 9, 2018
Submitted
January 9, 2018
Operation
General aviation
Filed by
FQAR173S
Bird Acquisition LLC.
Aircraft
N741PA
Make and model
Piper PA28181
Aircraft serial
2843835
Aircraft time
493 hours
Part
Rib
Part number
35378001
Condition
Cracked
Location
Rt Wing
Part time
493 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

DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, A RIB IN THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND CRACKED. THE RIB IN QUESTION IS THE 3RD RIB OUT FROM WING ROOT AND IS IN BETWEEN THE MAIN SPAR AND TRAILING EDGE ADJACENT TO CENTER FLAP SUPPORT. CRACK WAS ON UPPERMOST RIVET ATTACHING AFT FACE OF RIB TO TRAILING EDGE OF WING. WHEN THE RIB WAS REMOVED FOR REPLACEMENT, CLOSE VISUAL EXAMINATION REVEALED CRACK PROPAGATED FROM TOOLING MARK; THERE WAS A SECOND, DEEP TOOLING MARK THAT HAD NOT YET CRACKED; THERE WAS A SECOND, SMALLER CRACK AT THE RIVET HOLE; AND THE RIVET HOLE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN DEBURRED WHEN INSTALLED AT FACTORY. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE CRACK WAS CAUSED BY TOOLING MARKS AND STRESS DUE TO BURRS AT RIVET HOLE. THIS STATION HAS NEVER SEEN CRACKING IN THIS LOCATION.

More about the Piper PA-28-181