Incident Overview
On 17 June 2016, during a 100-hour/annual inspection conducted by Fly Bielsko Usługi Lotnicze under a CAMO contract, a Cessna 152 (registration SP-AKW) was found to have numerous structural defects. The inspection was performed because the aircraft was operated outside the CAMO organization, and the contract required periodic checks.
Findings During Inspection
The inspection revealed the following defects:
- Trim system cables were twisted eight times, causing chafing in the rear fuselage and under the floor.
- Fuselage cracks were present in the door cutout on the left side, at both the forward-top and aft-top corners.
- Lower skin on the left wing root rib lacked integrity, with worn skin and loose rivets.
- Left wing root rib had a crack at the rear attachment to the auxiliary spar, at the upper rivet.
- Right wing rear spar had loose rivets at the root (top and bottom).
- Right wing root rib had loose rivets.
- Flap support bracket attachments on the right side had loose rivets on both inner and outer sides.
- Upper surface rivets on both left and right wings were loose.
- Left fuel tank cover was cracked in the aft section.
- End rib and fuselage skin at the tail section were damaged, with missing rivets.
- Engine mount had an improper repair at the lower section near the lower attachment of the nose gear strut.
Subsequent Actions
Following the inspection, the aircraft was disassembled and was to be transferred to a maintenance organization qualified to perform structural repairs. The CAMO contract with the maintenance provider was terminated.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the cause of the incident was "extremely scandalous neglect during the operation and maintenance of the aircraft in the period preceding the inspection carried out by the CAMO organization, during which the damage and irregularities were detected."
Commission Comments and Recommendations
The Polish State Commission on Aircraft Accident Investigation (PKBWL) issued recommendations to the Civil Aviation Authority (ULC): 1. Conduct a thorough investigation of the operation history of Cessna 152 (SP-AKW) to identify and eliminate the root causes of the irregularities, and take legal action as appropriate. 2. Critically review the existing system of airworthiness oversight for aircraft in service to draw conclusions and implement corrective measures to prevent similar cases.
The Commission noted that the scope of irregularities was beyond any assessment without using strong language, and attributed them solely to improper actions, neglect, and omissions by specific individuals.