Narrative:

As I was conducting an annual inspection I noted a rib repair in the r-hand wing that looked substandard. A few days later re-inspected the wing after I had signed it off. I then discovered that 2 ribs behind the repaired rib was also damaged and repaired (toward wing root). I then looked back toward the wingtip and found 3 more ribs damaged some with questionable patch repairs. In addition the wing had been modified with a bushe STOL (short takeoff and landing) leading edge cuff (probably to stiffen up the damaged and repaired ribs). As I looked through the 1095 I found that the STOL cuff was installed by persons unknown probably 10 or 15 yrs ago and a reputable inspection authority/authorized had approved and signed off the work as accomplished by persons unknown and had endorsed the 337 (1995) as airworthy. I know the inspection authority/authorized and I think he just didn't look very close at the workmanship and remaining bent and damaged ribs as there is only one access panel for the entire leading edge and very hard to inspect. To make matters worse I signed off an annual on this airplane last yr that was open and closed up by another a&P, and I know I looked in the wing, but only at the strut attach points and supporting bolts. So I'm having the wing inspected by the inspection authority/authorized that signed it off in 1995 and although the wing is structurally strong enough for anything I doubt that a whole lot of FAA inspectors would appreciate or even approve of the existing rib repairs. My guess is that the inspection authority/authorized that approved the repair by the unknown persons will offer the (current) owner a re-ribbing structural repair of the wing at cost just to get away from the possible future scrutiny by the FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 150 UNDERGOING A 100 HR CHK IS FOUND TO HAVE 6 SUBSTANDARD UNAPPROVED WING RIB REPAIRS NOT DISCOVERED IN LAST 2 ANNUAL INSPECTIONS.

Narrative: AS I WAS CONDUCTING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION I NOTED A RIB REPAIR IN THE R-HAND WING THAT LOOKED SUBSTANDARD. A FEW DAYS LATER RE-INSPECTED THE WING AFTER I HAD SIGNED IT OFF. I THEN DISCOVERED THAT 2 RIBS BEHIND THE REPAIRED RIB WAS ALSO DAMAGED AND REPAIRED (TOWARD WING ROOT). I THEN LOOKED BACK TOWARD THE WINGTIP AND FOUND 3 MORE RIBS DAMAGED SOME WITH QUESTIONABLE PATCH REPAIRS. IN ADDITION THE WING HAD BEEN MODIFIED WITH A BUSHE STOL (SHORT TKOF AND LNDG) LEADING EDGE CUFF (PROBABLY TO STIFFEN UP THE DAMAGED AND REPAIRED RIBS). AS I LOOKED THROUGH THE 1095 I FOUND THAT THE STOL CUFF WAS INSTALLED BY PERSONS UNKNOWN PROBABLY 10 OR 15 YRS AGO AND A REPUTABLE INSPECTION AUTH HAD APPROVED AND SIGNED OFF THE WORK AS ACCOMPLISHED BY PERSONS UNKNOWN AND HAD ENDORSED THE 337 (1995) AS AIRWORTHY. I KNOW THE INSPECTION AUTH AND I THINK HE JUST DIDN'T LOOK VERY CLOSE AT THE WORKMANSHIP AND REMAINING BENT AND DAMAGED RIBS AS THERE IS ONLY ONE ACCESS PANEL FOR THE ENTIRE LEADING EDGE AND VERY HARD TO INSPECT. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE I SIGNED OFF AN ANNUAL ON THIS AIRPLANE LAST YR THAT WAS OPEN AND CLOSED UP BY ANOTHER A&P, AND I KNOW I LOOKED IN THE WING, BUT ONLY AT THE STRUT ATTACH POINTS AND SUPPORTING BOLTS. SO I'M HAVING THE WING INSPECTED BY THE INSPECTION AUTH THAT SIGNED IT OFF IN 1995 AND ALTHOUGH THE WING IS STRUCTURALLY STRONG ENOUGH FOR ANYTHING I DOUBT THAT A WHOLE LOT OF FAA INSPECTORS WOULD APPRECIATE OR EVEN APPROVE OF THE EXISTING RIB REPAIRS. MY GUESS IS THAT THE INSPECTION AUTH THAT APPROVED THE REPAIR BY THE UNKNOWN PERSONS WILL OFFER THE (CURRENT) OWNER A RE-RIBBING STRUCTURAL REPAIR OF THE WING AT COST JUST TO GET AWAY FROM THE POSSIBLE FUTURE SCRUTINY BY THE FAA.

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.