Almost missed a critical wire chafe point in a recent overhaul

During a recent Cessna 172 avionics upgrade, I found the main power cable rubbing against a sharp bracket (it was hidden behind a panel, of course). I only caught it because I decided to look over everything again after a weird voltage drop. A little bit of chafing sleeve and some zip ties fixed it, but it could have caused a short mid-flight. Always check those hidden spots, even if the system tests okay on the ground.

2 comments

2 Comments

skyler5261d ago

Heard about a buddy who found something similar on his Cherokee after an annual. He was doing a final walk around and noticed a tiny bit of copper showing where a bundle passed through the firewall. It had rubbed clean through the insulation over time. Said it made his blood run cold thinking about what might have happened. Really drives home the point that you have to get in there and actually look with your hands and a light.

grace8171d ago

Picture finding a wire that's been secretly grinding on a bracket like it's trying to start a fire. That's the plane's idea of a practical joke, I guess. You finish the work, think everything is perfect, and then it whispers "gotcha" with a little voltage dip. So you add some sleeve and ties, but you know it's laughing from behind the panel. Always keeps you on your toes, like a creepy game of hide and seek. Just another day making sure your aircraft doesn't turn into a surprise fireworks show.