Another '02 Cessna 172 spinner failure

[Peter R.]

Preflighted today for a two-hour trip only to discover one side of the
'02 C172 spinner bent outward. The metal spinner base holding that
crucial bolt had ripped off like a piece of paper. With nothing to
counteract the spinning forces, the outside skin of the spinner opened
right up. Fortunately, four downstream screws prevented it from being
completely ripped from the aircraft during its last flight.

I have read accounts of people discovering the same problem with 30
hours on their aircraft. This aircraft has about 600 hours on it.

And Cessna still denies there was a quality control problem with these
spinners? There should have been an AD last year.

Inspect those late model Cessna spinners for cracks at the bases very
carefully during each preflight...

--
Peter

[C J Campbell]

"Peter R." > wrote in message
ds.com...
|
| And Cessna still denies there was a quality control problem with these
| spinners? There should have been an AD last year.
|
| Inspect those late model Cessna spinners for cracks at the bases very
| carefully during each preflight...

Sounds like someone is pushing on the spinner to move the aircraft around.

[Tom S.]

"C J Campbell" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Peter R." > wrote in message
> ds.com...
> |
> | And Cessna still denies there was a quality control problem with these
> | spinners? There should have been an AD last year.
> |
> | Inspect those late model Cessna spinners for cracks at the bases very
> | carefully during each preflight...
>
> Sounds like someone is pushing on the spinner to move the aircraft around.

Or the prop blade?

[Peter R.]

C J Campbell wrote:

>
> "Peter R." > wrote in message
> ds.com...
> |
> | And Cessna still denies there was a quality control problem with these
> | spinners? There should have been an AD last year.
> |
> | Inspect those late model Cessna spinners for cracks at the bases very
> | carefully during each preflight...
>
> Sounds like someone is pushing on the spinner to move the aircraft around.

To my knowledge this aircraft is not pushed around with the spinner.

I just got off the phone with maintenance who admitted that there have
been so many late model C172 spinner cracking problems that they
actually keep three or four in stock. Because of this, they were able
to replace the spinner Saturday morning (this morning). Maintenance
opined that there definitely seems to be a quality problem with these.


--
Peter

[Ron Natalie]

"Tom S." > wrote in message ...

> > Sounds like someone is pushing on the spinner to move the aircraft around.
>
> Or the prop blade?
>
The prop isn't really connected to the spinner. It's mounted to a plate which is
mounted behind the prop on the crankshaft. It shouldn't be possible to bend
the blade enough to contact the spinner.

[Tom S.]

"Ron Natalie" > wrote in message
m...
>
> "Tom S." > wrote in message
...
>
> > > Sounds like someone is pushing on the spinner to move the aircraft
around.
> >
> > Or the prop blade?
> >
> The prop isn't really connected to the spinner. It's mounted to a plate
which is
> mounted behind the prop on the crankshaft. It shouldn't be possible to
bend
> the blade enough to contact the spinner.
>
True, but nothing surprises me anymore. I had one guy try to fix my garbage
disposal by hitting it really hard with a hammer.

[Peter R.]

C J Campbell wrote:

> "Peter R." > wrote in message
> ds.com...
> |
> | And Cessna still denies there was a quality control problem with these
> | spinners? There should have been an AD last year.
> |
> | Inspect those late model Cessna spinners for cracks at the bases very
> | carefully during each preflight...
>
> Sounds like someone is pushing on the spinner to move the aircraft around.

CJ, this morning I stopped at out local maintenance shop to pick up the
aircraft and to thank the A&P for quickly replacing the part early this
Saturday morning. Since I knew that Cessna's warranty would be paying
for the work, I brought him a dozen of fresh doughnuts. :)

For a comparison, the A&P pulled out both an '03 and an '02 spinner
"bulkhead" (where the spinner connects to the prop shaft), as he had
both in stock. Cessna most certainly redesigned the bulkhead for '03 to
prevent the type of failure that this 172's spinner bulkhead
experienced. It was obvious that Cessna beefed up the metal surrounding
the bolt holes as well as moved these bolt holes a tad closer to the
center, away from the edge of the bulkhead.

So I wonder to no one in particular: With the apparent number of
reported failures (as per the A&P, along with what I read in either AOPA
or Flying mag several months ago) coupled with this obvious redesign,
why doesn't Cessna release a service bulletin for this part?



--
Peter

[G.R. Patterson III]

"Tom S." wrote:
>
> I had one guy try to fix my garbage
> disposal by hitting it really hard with a hammer.

Did it work?

George Patterson
If you're not part of the solution, you can make a lot of money prolonging
the problem.

[Tom S.]

"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "Tom S." wrote:
> >
> > I had one guy try to fix my garbage
> > disposal by hitting it really hard with a hammer.
>
> Did it work?
>
Sure did..sorta. He told me it was broke and needed to be replaced.