The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Is there a mandatory or suggested airframe inspection procedure when you have exceeded red-line airspeed? Engine max RPM?

John
N2786C, Ratty ole Alaska Bush Plane (google for pix and latest flight tracks) (yeah I fly it IFR)

I'm not aware of a specific inspection, although there could be one. You would probably notice wrinkled wing skins if there was any damage. I always inspect the rear spar 12" to 24" outboard of the root rib, as a standard part of any inspection opportunity. It doesn't take much of an outboard leading edge strike to kink the rear spar at this location. This is a weak area on older 150, 170,172 wings; much improved on 180 series and up and later models. I've seen the rear spar kink from a wing hitting a hangar at walking speed, and from a bird strike. Both of these incidents were from strikes on the leading edge within 2 feet of the tip, and both only required replacement of the outboard leading edge skin and one rib (the major damage being to the rear spar). I could also imagine rear spar damage if flaps were deployed, or deployed rapidly, at excessive speeds.
Also inspect tail surfaces attach points and aft fuselage skins.

The airframe should receive an inspection for damage. If you want to do it "per the book" you will have to contact a Cessna Service Center for factory engineering approval.

As for engine overspeed, one must comply with TCM Service Bulletin SB06-2, which is in the MX Library. Here's the link: http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... f=6&t=6779

Many thanks guys.

John

johnsunday wrote:Is there a mandatory or suggested airframe inspection procedure when you have exceeded red-line airspeed? Engine max RPM?

John
N2786C, Ratty ole Alaska Bush Plane (google for pix and latest flight tracks) (yeah I fly it IFR)

John,
How long were you over VNE?......That makes a difference on the type of inspection needed......if any...Red line is something to watch.....not necessarily something to really never exceed ......Brad

Brad,

Only lasted for a few seconds, 10 at most. Gonna do Del's inspection recommendation this week-end.

John

Hmmmm - anyone else reading between the lines on this one?

johnsunday wrote:Brad,

Only lasted for a few seconds, 10 at most. Gonna do Del's inspection recommendation this week-end.

John

John,
I only ask, Because I fly an AG plane.... after making a turn at stall speed (200 foot of the ground)....I need to get enough momentum, entering the field, to spray across that field and have enough speed to make the turn at the other end. I know that I'm at or near VNE every time I enter a field......about 200 times a day.....But I'm also preoccupied with watching the light bar and the crop coming up at me at 140- to 160 MPH, so I have no Idea if I over do VNE (I don't watch the airspeed indicator)........I'm sure I don't.....But as I said before it's something to watch........stuff happens. All aircraft are built to take more than is recommended by the color stripes on the airspeed indicator. But it's what your comfort level is, on what you need to do to inspect your aircraft........Brad

Robert,

Nothing to read between the lines here.....VFR, VMC, got going too fast downhill....

John

Brad,

For an old guy, I still have a pretty sharp scan, and for work, I fly airplanes that require various inspections when limits are exceeded and have computers that record that data and send it back to my employer, who in turn, send it on to father FAA. In my youth I was a bold pilot, but as I have gotten old, I have become a cautious pilot, and since I put loved ones in the old bird, I tend to err on the conservative side when it comes to them....

John
N2786C, Ratty old Alaska Bush Plane

Nice looking 170. Hope inspection turns out well

johnsunday wrote:Brad,

For an old guy, I still have a pretty sharp scan, and for work, I fly airplanes that require various inspections when limits are exceeded and have computers that record that data and send it back to my employer, who in turn, send it on to father FAA. In my youth I was a bold pilot, but as I have gotten old, I have become a cautious pilot, and since I put loved ones in the old bird, I tend to err on the conservative side when it comes to them....

John
N2786C, Ratty old Alaska Bush Plane

John,
Cool, just throwing in my two cents worth......and apparently that's all it was worth .....Brad

Brad,

I appreciate your input! Many thanks...and your input is worth a lot to me!

John

voorheesh wrote:Nice looking 170. Hope inspection turns out well

voorheesh,

Thanks, I really do appreciate the old airplane. When I first got it, I remember thinking to myself, "OK, I'm 85 miles from my destination. Gotta think about descent , approach and landing. Only a few minutes from descent." Then I started computing that I was still about an hour away.....

I now have a different perspective....

John

johnsunday wrote:

voorheesh wrote:Nice looking 170. Hope inspection turns out well

voorheesh,

Thanks, I really do appreciate the old airplane. When I first got it, I remember thinking to myself, "OK, I'm 85 miles from my destination. Gotta think about descent , approach and landing. Only a few minutes from descent." Then I started computing that I was still about an hour away.....

I now have a different perspective....

John

John,
Everything seems to be all about perspective, Doesn't it? .......Brad