Capaoa > Blogs > caf-4 >  Pre-recovery Inspection   [Share]
Login

8/20/2011 12:16:53 PM
Pre-recovery Inspection

The following is an Inspection Report written by Mr. Jay Reiter (A&P 1992883) of Manhattan Beach, California:

 Aircraft N111WG is a PL-1 and the number four aircraft off the Taiwan production line. It was built after the prototypes and before the wider PL-1B production models. This aircraft was 51% assembled by Col. Robert (Rick) Loeffler and US registered as a home built. More information can be found on the Pazmany website.

The aircraft was damaged in a ground incident by a prospective buyer. The FAA web page shows the aircraft as de-registered Rick does not know how this happened as he was not notified.  

In my opinion the aircraft is structurally sound. There is the often found straw and rodent droppings present. The aircraft has the engine, engine mount, instruments, and avionics robbed. The aircraft wiring is removed. The aircraft is supported on tires and 55 gallon drums with a cargo strap going to the rafters of the hanger. 

For transport the fuselage should be removed from the wing as the wing is one piece 28 foot long. The fuselage can be removed from the wing by removing four bolts and the brake lines at each side of the forward wing to body join. These items are accessed under the floorboards just aft of the rudder pedals. Then remove the main spar wing attach bolts. Lastly remove about 12 screws externally on each side at the wing root. I would estimate the fuselage to weigh about 200 pounds. Carefully lift the fuselage in case I have missed any items that could hold the fuselage in place.  

Explanation of Maintenance Items for Aircraft N111WG sheets 1 through 3:

Item 1: The vertical bracket should be replaced it is a stiffing member of the firewall as well as an attachment point and is bent at the top and bottom. The end of the upper forward fuselage strap might be repaired or replaced. Not noted there is a minor dog eared lower corner of the steel firewall sheet this and any minor bowing of the firewall sheet can be bumped out with a mallet. The rear firewall supports and engine mount brackets are good. 

Item 2: Minor this bracket bolts on it is steel can be heated and straightened or replaced.

Item 3: Gear was sheared in the incident. Rick says another person that was supposed to take the aircraft has the spare gears. The gear attach fittings are good. 

Item 4: Bottom skin was torn by the gear as it departed. This is in the turbulent area, the skin can be repaired with a surface or more complicated flush patch. 

Item 5: Right flap also was bent by the departing gear. This is a more complicated repair due to the shape of the trailing edge. The flap will need to be unskined and one or more ribs replaced. The skin might be saved by only replacing the wrinkled section.

Item 6: Wing tanks removed

Item 7: The left wing tank, left position light is broken

Item 8: The right wing tank has the position light broken. There is also a shear tear out to one of the mount bolt holes. This bracket is part of the fiberglass structure of the tank.

Item 9: Rudder removed. This is ok makes the fuselage shorter for transport. The rudder is at the location.

Item 10: Stabilator removed. Same as rudder.  

Item 11: I am not sure if these plates are there but they should not be a big problem to fabricate.

Item 12: The old instrument panel would have been nice to have for coping the mount holes 

Item 13: Noted in the third paragraph

Item 14: The aircraft has extra fuel tanks added inboard.

Item 15: The aircraft has electric flaps.  

Photos











Page  1