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Airworthiness Notice - D005, Edition 1 - 29 August 2002
Cessna 182S, 206H and T206H Right Wing Spar Cap Stiffeners
Purpose
This notice is to advise owners of Cessna 182S, 206H and T206H models, that some Cessna aircraft identified within
a serial number range, were inadvertently manufactured with right wing spar cap
stiffeners made of 0.100 inch thick material [hereafter referred to as “thin
spar cap stiffener”] instead of 0.125 inch thick material [hereafter referred
to as “correct spar cap stiffener”]. Although Cessna has determined that a thin spar cap stiffener on these
models still meets the type design strength requirements, aircraft with the
thin spar cap stiffeners are not eligible for modifications which require
weight increases above the maximum takeoff weight limits specified in their
respective Transport Canada (TC) and Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) aircraft
Type Certificate Data Sheets (TCDS).
Background
Cessna issued Special Service Project SSP00-57-01, “Right Wing Spar Cap Stiffener Inspection” dated
11 September 2000, requiring the inspection of Model 206H and T206H wings
to determine the thickness of the spar cap stiffener. Once the inspection is complete, SSP00-57-01 requires the
completion and return of a form, which reports the spar cap stiffener
thickness. Spar assemblies found to have been manufactured with thin spar cap stiffeners are to be replaced by
Cessna on an agreed schedule with the owner/operator. Cessna has committed to tracking suspect airplanes to determine
which have thin spar cap stiffeners, and which have been brought up to type
data configuration [by replacing the thin with the correct spar cap stiffener]
or were originally equipped with the correct spar cap stiffener from the
factory. Although the same problem exists on the Cessna 182S, similar inspection action has not been initiated by
Cessna since there are no known supplemental type certificates (STCs) for this
aircraft that would raise the gross weight of the aircraft (ie. floats).
Both TC and the FAA have taken action to update each aircraft TCDS to identify those serial numbered aircraft
suspected of having thinner spar cap stiffeners as follows:
-
Note 4 in the Canadian TCDS
A-212 (FAA TCDS A4CE), for both the 206H and T206H
models, states that the serial numbered aircraft listed “are not eligible for any weight
increases above the approved maximum takeoff weight limit of 3,600”, and
-
For the Cessna 182S models, Canadian TCDS A-204 Note 2 (FAA TCDS
3A13, Note 5)
states that the identified serial numbered aircraft are “not eligible for any weight
increase above the approved maximum takeoff weight limit of 3,100 pounds”.
In discussions with the FAA, no mandatory corrective action is being proposed to remove these thin spar cap
stiffeners from affected airplanes.
Recommended Practice
Although the affected aircraft are identified on the applicable TCDS, Transport Canada is concerned that because
the wings are not serial numbered, wing changes in the future may lead to a
wing with a thin spar cap stiffener being placed on an aircraft not currently
identified in the TCDS as being ineligible for a weight increase above the
approved maximum takeoff weight limit. Also, because the FAA did not mandate the Cessna corrective action, some
operators may choose not to replace the thin spar cap stiffeners if they are
not intending to install floats or other STCs that increase the aircraft weight
above the limit specified in the TCDS.
Therefore, prior to the installation of any STC that would
increase the maximum takeoff weight of the aircraft above the limit specified
in the TCDS, owner/operators are advised to confirm that their aircraft is not
one of the serial numbers affected by this weight increase restriction, or if
it is, that the modification is coordinated through TC in accordance with
Canadian TCDS instructions. When importing or purchasing these Cessna models, logbooks should also be reviewed
to identify any wing replacements and, to verify, to the extent possible, the
history of any such wing replacements. If the origin of the replacement wing is in doubt, inspection of the
spar cap stiffener in accordance with Cessna SSP00-57-01 should be conducted to
verify the actual thickness of the spar cap stiffener.
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