Narrative:

During an a and P school training exercise, it was discovered that an unairworthy repair had been done on an aircraft that I had inspected in accordance with an annual inspection in january of 1992. This repair had been done on both wings in an area unaccessable during normal inspection procedures. As outlined in small aircraft service manuals or far part 43 and 91. From our investigation this repair had been done prior to the present lessee's possession of this aircraft, which they took possession of in aug of 90. Aircraft logbooks indicate that the wings on this aircraft were installed in 1964 as airworthy wings, the logbooks also indicate that the wing's interior were primed with zinc chromate in 1968, and that the unairworthy repairs were made between this time and prior to the lease's possession of the aircraft. There are no logbook entries, or 337 forms indicating wing repairs having been done. The aircraft has been grounded until airworthy repairs are accomplished. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said the illegal repair was found when an a and P school student was experimenting with a borescope type tool and looked deeper into the wing than was normally possible. He said the wing has since been repaired by an overhaul facility and been returned to service. He fears that the aircraft inspector who inspects an aircraft using normal means may accidentally pass an aircraft that should be failed, as in this case, and be taken to task by the FAA. The repair was noticed because the wing interior had been painted with zinc chromate and the repair had not.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT IS GNDED WHEN IT IS DISCOVERED THAT IN ILLEGAL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED MANY YRS AGO.

Narrative: DURING AN A AND P SCHOOL TRAINING EXERCISE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT AN UNAIRWORTHY REPAIR HAD BEEN DONE ON AN ACFT THAT I HAD INSPECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN ANNUAL INSPECTION IN JANUARY OF 1992. THIS REPAIR HAD BEEN DONE ON BOTH WINGS IN AN AREA UNACCESSABLE DURING NORMAL INSPECTION PROCS. AS OUTLINED IN SMA SVC MANUALS OR FAR PART 43 AND 91. FROM OUR INVESTIGATION THIS REPAIR HAD BEEN DONE PRIOR TO THE PRESENT LESSEE'S POSSESSION OF THIS ACFT, WHICH THEY TOOK POSSESSION OF IN AUG OF 90. ACFT LOGBOOKS INDICATE THAT THE WINGS ON THIS ACFT WERE INSTALLED IN 1964 AS AIRWORTHY WINGS, THE LOGBOOKS ALSO INDICATE THAT THE WING'S INTERIOR WERE PRIMED WITH ZINC CHROMATE IN 1968, AND THAT THE UNAIRWORTHY REPAIRS WERE MADE BTWN THIS TIME AND PRIOR TO THE LEASE'S POSSESSION OF THE ACFT. THERE ARE NO LOGBOOK ENTRIES, OR 337 FORMS INDICATING WING REPAIRS HAVING BEEN DONE. THE ACFT HAS BEEN GNDED UNTIL AIRWORTHY REPAIRS ARE ACCOMPLISHED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THE ILLEGAL REPAIR WAS FOUND WHEN AN A AND P SCHOOL STUDENT WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH A BORESCOPE TYPE TOOL AND LOOKED DEEPER INTO THE WING THAN WAS NORMALLY POSSIBLE. HE SAID THE WING HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED BY AN OVERHAUL FACILITY AND BEEN RETURNED TO SVC. HE FEARS THAT THE ACFT INSPECTOR WHO INSPECTS AN ACFT USING NORMAL MEANS MAY ACCIDENTALLY PASS AN ACFT THAT SHOULD BE FAILED, AS IN THIS CASE, AND BE TAKEN TO TASK BY THE FAA. THE REPAIR WAS NOTICED BECAUSE THE WING INTERIOR HAD BEEN PAINTED WITH ZINC CHROMATE AND THE REPAIR HAD NOT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.