FAA Calls for Cessna 210 Wing Spar Inspections

Effective March 9, 2020, the FAA has released an airworthiness directive calling for the inspection of Cessna 210s in a specific model range, to determine the presence of corrosion and evidence of fatigue in the carry-through spar lower cap and carrying out mitigating preventative maintenance.

The AD comes as the result of an in-flight breakup of a Cessna T210M in Queensland, Australia, on May 26, 2019, where fatigue cracking started at a corrosion pit. The fracture itself was located inboard of the wing attachment lugs, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau report. The ASTB worked in concert with the National Transportation Safety Board and the manufacturer, now Textron Aviation as the type certificate holder, in determining the cause of the accident and solutions to prevent its recurrence.

In the AD, the process calls for both visual and eddy-current inspections of the spar cap, corrective action, if needed, and the application of protective coating and corrosion inhibiting compound. The FAA requires a report as to the conclusions of the inspection in order to inform future action. According to the AD, there have been “subsequent reports of other Model 210-series airplanes with widespread and severe corrosion.” The agency has solicited comments on the AD; these must be posted by April 6, 2020.

The models in question include: Cessna 210G, T210G, 210H, T210H, 210J, T210J, 210K, T210K, 210L, T210L, 210M, and T210M aircraft.