Wing Bolts and More

During a scheduled wing bolt inspection, the left lower aft bathtub fitting was found to have chafe marks from contact with the clip on the wing fitting cover. One mark extended into the fitting radius. The manufacturer was consulted and provided a field repair to remove the damage.

Editorial Staff

Monday, July 18, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A Beechcraft King Air experienced chafing on a wing fitting due to contact with a loose wing bolt cover clip.
Another Beechcraft King Air was found with critical wing attach bolts installed only hand-tight, despite recent inspections and re-torque checks.
A Cessna 172 suffered fuel interruption caused by mud-clogged fuel cap vent holes and a restricted fuel tank vent.
A Cirrus SR22 exhibited a cracked alternate air induction duct assembly and a worn hinge pin bolt, caused by a support bracket wearing into the bolt.

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Beechcraft Model 200 King Air
Chafing Wing Bolt Cover

Each bathtub fitting cover is held in place by a spring-steel clip that grips the wing fitting at one end while the other end is held in place by a screw. It appears the cover may have been a little loose, allowing it to flutter or vibrate and causing the clip to chafe the wing fitting.