Subject: N2521C Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:36:59 -0800 Bill, Darrell, I bought a Cessna 170B (N2521C) from you in December and finally had the = chance to fly it back up to Fairbanks about 2 weeks ago. It was a great = flight, the plane performed great, and I really enjoyed flying it. This = is my first plane and I only just got my license before flying it, so it = was a great experience and achievement for me personally. Last week I brought a local mechanic to the plane just to have a quick = look and get me in his system for any future repairs that might be = needed. In the first 5 minutes of looking around on the ramp, he = noticed the wing struts were loose and peering into strut-fuselage = attachment we noticed some bent metal. He also noticed some corrosion = on the gear legs that looked like it was working through the peening, so = we decided to bring it into the shop to see whether there was more such = corrosion inboard. Immediately on taking off the cover it was clear = that the outer flange plates on both sides had never been riveted into = place, the wedges were loose, and there was wear-corrosion visible on = the castings. He also noticed a number of other irregularities, so we = decided to give a more thorough inspection. Here the list grew quickly. = The loose fittings in the gear had caused it to work against the = castings and crack and/or corrode most of them them; this was long-term = abuse. The wing struts had fresh bolts in them, indicating someone in = the near past noticed the looseness but more importantly the wing strut = itself was damaged by a previous accident with a large tear across it = (which is what we saw part of outside). These issues had been present = long before I bought the plane, maybe even decades. Looking closer at = the wings, the light surface corrosion of the skins led him to look at = the carry-through spars and borescope inspection clearly revealed severe = corrosion, with rusted metal spalling off and lying inside the spar. We = ultra-sounded the seams of the wing skins to the spars, and fortunately = no anomalies were detected. Further inspection yielded a number of other = minor =E2=80=98repairs=E2=80=99 that were clearly done improperly and = when examining the obvious major repairs that had been done, there was = no record of them in the FAA database 337 forms. For example, besides = the wings not being original (noted in the log books but not with 337) = there are cherry max rivets attaching the left wing skin to the spar = (which are unapproved without such 337 documentation). There were also = just scary repairs done, like not using lock nuts on the aileron hinges. = I reproduced the full initial list below, and have attached his = estimate for the most important of these repairs. I had a second = mechanic who specializes in corrosion (the one that did the ultrasound) = confirm that the carry-through spars are far beyond airworthy and he = also magnafluxed the gear legs to confirm the depth of corrosion exceed = Cessna tolerances though there were no cracks as yet, but that some of = the castings were cracked. I had expected to enter into a never-ended stream of repairs on this 60 = year old airplane, but it appears that the vast majority of problems = that exist on this aircraft passed through several prior annuals and = ignored service bulletins on your end, and the severity of carry-through = corrosion, damage wing strut, and improperly installed gear just seems = beyond the pale, especially considering that they could have ended in = instant random death for my family and I. Besides that, I simply cant = afford the large bill to make it airworthy again. I realize that our purchase agreement was as-is and I sincerely have no = desire to cause problems, but rather try to solve them. I have no idea = how such large and obvious issues like the carry-through and gear were = missed, but I am happy to believe that had you discovered them in the = annual the few days before the sale that you would either have fixed = them or would have informed me and reduced the purchase price = accordingly, as your pride in your reputation was one of the reasons I = purchased this plane from you. It is my hope that now that you are = aware of them, that you would act similarly by either helping to share = some of these costs or by buying the plane back and ferrying it to your = shop for repairs. The repairs of the carry-through spars and gear box = alone will amount to over $15,000, and these issues were clearly = unairworthy for at least the several years you owned it, and I would = consider it a sign of great professionalism and integrity if you could = cover some large fraction of those costs, and I would then be happy to = continue to buy from you in the future or recommend my friends to do so. = I have copied the initial inspection report below and attached the = mechanics estimates of parts and labor for your review (note that these = are only the repairs necessary to get the plane safe again), and you = should feel free to contact him directly to discuss any technical = questions or concerns as well as myself for any strategic questions or = concerns. I have never worked with him before, but he has a good = reputation, I personally saw each of the discrepancies he noted, and I = had a second independent opinion made on the major ones. I have = attached a few photos, but can provide many more, and I would be happy = for you to hire another mechanic to inspect the plane or come up to see = it yourself. From discussions with my aviation friends, it is clear that I really = dodged a bullet on the way up here, and in a liability sense apparently = so did you. The good news is that once the repairs are complete, this = mechanic will sign off a new annual, taking the liability for any future = issues associated with the prior discrepancies. At that point I will = assume full financial responsibility for anything else that comes up so = you don=E2=80=99t have to fear more emails like this, I would not have = brought this up at all with you but the carry-through spar corrosion = tipped the balance. I hope that this information will also help you = better understand how these major issues passed through annuals and SBs = on your end for the benefit of your reputation and the safety of your = buyers, friends, and family. Sincerely, Matt Nolan 907 978 0542 Initial inspection report for N2521C 1). Lower right strut fitting damaged =E2=80=93 Replacement required=20 A). Both right strut end fittings are worn, suggest replacement, most = cost effective method being strut assembly replacement with used = serviceable assemblies. 2). Light corrosion on gear legs =E2=80=93 Investigation revealed wear = through the peening process on both gear legs. Wear does not appear to = be beyond re-certifiable limits, and gear legs may be acceptable for = cores if you wish to upgrade to 180 gear legs at this time. Mag particle = inspection revealed no cracks. 3). Left and right outer gear box casting upper flanges not correctly = installed. a). Right Casting badly worn, may get 300 more hours, left casting = cracked requires replacement.=20 4). Air box rod bushings worn out. =E2=80=93 Replace with aftermarket = kit=20 5). Throttle rod end loose - Tighten=20 6). #5 lower spark plug oil fouled =E2=80=93 Cleaned and replaced 7). Inner Gear box castings working loose in bulkheads. - Repair with 2 = & 3 8). Oil seeping from cylinder base nuts =E2=80=93 checked torque, and = cleaned 9). several exhaust leaks - R & R exhaust, clean, replace gaskets. 10). Flight controls do not appear properly rigged. - rig flight = controls 11). Fuel cap gaskets leaking. - replace with new 12). Brake pads are cracked. Replace 13). Exhaust pipes interfering and cutting into induction pipes on = several cylinders =E2=80=93 repair with 9. 14). Oil seeping from front governor mounting plate. - Torqued and = cleaned 15). Oil seeping from Push-rod base housings - cleaned=20 16). could not locate Registration, Owner=E2=80=99s manual. 17). Left Fuel Line@ aft door frame chaffing on control cable =E2=80=93 = reposition 18). Yoke interconnect chain loose - rig properly. 19). Pilot control yoke Universal joint worn - replace 20). Fuel selector valve stiff, no detents noticed. =C2=ADremove and = inspect 21). Compass card inaccurate - swing compass 22). Front Carry through spar shows sever corrosion =E2=80=93 Strongly = suggest replacement. (Wings off) 23). Severe corrosion at wing attach hardware various locations and = assorted rusting =E2=80=93 repair with 22 24). Elevator torque tube rusting =E2=80=93 Remove, clean, treat, paint, = reinstall 25). Trailing edge of rudder bent - 26). Right elevator skin bent top and bottom =E2=80=93 re-skin and paint 27). Right horizontal stab open rivet holes in skin=20 28). Left outboard Elevator hinge loose - replace 29). Aft Carry through spar Corrosion - Strongly suggest replacement = with 22. 30). Right wing shows widespread skin and spar corrosion =C2=AD=E2=80=93 = =E2=80=93 Ultrasound inspection schedule Mon 6pm=20 31). Right aileron bent, Un-airworthy repair @ inboard trailing edge. - = re-skin and paint 32). Right Aileron incorrect hardware =E2=80=93 repair with 31 33). Left wing shows widespread skin and spar corrosion =E2=80=93 = Ultrasound inspection schedule Mon 6pm 34). Left Aileron incorrect attach hardware - replace with correct 35). Left Aileron Spar bent & cracked at control rod attach point = =E2=80=93 repair with re-skin. 36). Cabin top skin torn @ trailing edge, Outboard corner- repair with = 22 37). Unapproved fasteners, Cherry max rivets installed on wing and = control surface spars =E2=80=93 with 22 38). Pilot rudder pedals loose, _repair and replace as needed.