What happened
During a scheduled 100-hour/annual inspection at the Fly Bielsko Usługi Lotnicze technical base, several severe structural and mechanical irregularities were discovered on a Cessna 152, registration SP-AKW. The aircraft, operated by Aeroklub Częstochowski, was undergoing a maintenance check performed by a CAMO organization. The inspection uncovered a wide array of defects ranging from engine mount issues to significant airframe degradation.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the PKBWL, examined the findings of a technical occurrence report produced by Fly Bielsko Usługi Lotnicze. The inspection revealed the following specific defects:
- Eight-fold twisting of the trim system cables, causing friction against the rear fuselage and floor.
- Structural cracks in the fuselage around the door cutout.
- Loss of integrity in the lower skin of the left wing root, including skin chafing and loose rivets.
- A crack on the left wing root at the rear attachment to the auxiliary spar.
- Loose rivets on the right wing rear spar (both upper and lower surfaces) and the right wing root.
- Loose rivets on the flap bracket attachment to the skin on the right side.
- Loose rivets on the upper surfaces of both the left and right wings.
- A crack in the rear portion of the left fuel tank cover.
- Damage to the final bulkhead and fuselage skin in the tail section.
- An improper repair to the engine mount near the lower attachment of the nose gear.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the primary cause of the aircraft's condition was extreme negligence during the operation and maintenance of the aircraft in the period preceding the inspection. The PKBWL noted that the extent of the defects was highly irregular and resulted from the improper actions and omissions of specific individuals. The commission highlighted a failure in the pre-flight inspection process by the pilots, which failed to detect these obvious discrepancies, and criticized the lack of responsibility among the personnel responsible for the aircraft's maintenance.
Safety action
Following the discovery, the Civil Aviation Authority (Urząd Lotnictwa Cywilnego) was advised to:
- Conduct a thorough audit of the operational history of SP-AKW to identify and eliminate the causes of the discovered irregularities.
- Perform a critical analysis of the existing airworthiness oversight system for aircraft in service to implement necessary corrections and prevent similar occurrences.