FAA proposes more Cessna wing spar inspections

The AD, which is open for public comments until June 25, was proposed in response to the May 2019 in-flight breakup of a Cessna 210M flying a low-altitude aerial survey mission in Australia, after which examination “identified fatigue cracking that initiated at a corrosion pit.” It would apply to about 3,421 U.S.-registered aircraft of Textron Aviation Inc.’s Cessna models 210N, 210R, P210N, P210R, T210N, T210R, 177, 177A, 177B, 177RG, and F177RG models.

A previous AD that took effect in March 2020 covered about 1,520 aircraft of earlier Cessna 210 models. AOPA reported on that AD and follow-up actions the FAA has taken to help owners and operators comply.

Reports of corrosion on the later Cessna 210 models and Cessna 177s, suggesting that the corrosion “is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design,” prompted the new proposal. It calls for “visual and eddy current inspections of the [carrythrough] spar lower cap, corrective action if necessary, application of a protective coating and corrosion inhibiting compound (CIC), and reporting the inspection results to the FAA.”

AOPA is carefully evaluating the AD, said Christopher Cooper, AOPA senior director of regulatory affairs.

The FAA estimated the compliance cost for inspecting the aircraft, applying the protective coating, and reporting inspection results to the FAA at $1,827.50 per aircraft.

Comments on the proposed AD may be submitted online or by mail to U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

Please include Docket No. FAA-2020-1078; Project Identifier AD-2020-00716-A at the beginning of your comments.