Cessna 172 Annual: Part 2

We take a brief look at the complete annual inspection protocol for a Cessna 172.

Thursday, November 02, 2023 at 06:41 PM ET

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When beginning an annual inspection, the inspector will be on the lookout for cracks, carbon trails, oil leaks, and parts hanging. [Credit: Elijah Lisyany]

Key Takeaways:

Corey conducted a meticulous annual inspection of his 1966 Cessna 172H, beginning with de-paneling and following AC 43.13 guidelines to identify issues like cracks, leaks, and loose fasteners.
The inspection involved detailed checks of flight controls (cables, pulleys), the powerplant (compression, spark plugs, oil change, borescope inspection), and landing gear (brakes, tires, wheel bearings).
He documented all discrepancies on a "squawk sheet" and performed corrective actions, including replacing a frayed nav radio ground wire, shimming the nose strut, and replacing wing strut fairings, alongside cosmetic improvements.
As an IA (Inspection Authorization holder), Corey signed off the maintenance, returned the aircraft to service, and completed a successful test flight, emphasizing his practice of continuous maintenance throughout the year.

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When we last left Corey, he had relocated his 1966 Cessna 172H to its new home in a T-hangar at Newnan-Coweta Airport (KCCO) in Georgia and was prepping for his annual inspection. He pulled the pertinent airworthiness directives (ADs), mapped out a plan, and reviewed other technical data like service bulletins (SBs). Now, it’s time to get down to business.

Inspection

Using the AC 43.13 as his guide, Corey began diligently and methodically going over his airplane with a keen inspector’s eye. These first few passes around are critical, as they will start telling the story of the state of your aircraft. It is essential to look for cracks, carbon trails, oil leaks, and parts hanging when they should be fastened.