Cessna 172 Corrosion | TheaterFire

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Shit-Pilot@reddit

This is one of those planes that was pulled out of ramp mummy status and given a cheap annual in 2023 after airplane prices skyrocketed.

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CessnaBandit@reddit

Probably has a reputation for not flying straight. Kind of thing you can never get a properly coordinated turn

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I have a 1981 P model, with a ton of hours. I noticed 2 rivet heads missing on the roof on the rear spar carry thru. we took it apart and ended up replacing the entire roof, both front and rear carry thru spars, every stringer and window support, It didnt look too bad until we took it apart and looked at the spaces that you can not inspect. That plane would be the same. Can it be repaired? Yep, would I do it again? Nope. And I have a repair shop.

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tms2x2@reddit

That corrosion on the 2nd picture, I’m like LOL. That is awful. I did an annual on a Piper Arrow from Arizona. I opened a wing panel and looked up. I saw my face! Looked like a brand new airplane inside! Though the landing gear bushings were orders of magnitude worn out.

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4thebeachpirate@reddit

You are kidding us, right??

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dl_bos@reddit

Noooooooo!

I wouldn’t even waste money on an inspection. Firm no, unless I were in the salvage business.

Also consider that if the airframe is that bad it is possible/likely the engine is junk from corrosion also. Would require removing a cylinder to inspect cam and crank.

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quietflyr@reddit

It might not be that bad.

It might be beyond economical repair.

You don't know until you get it thoroughly inspected, and even then there's risk. But there's always risk in buying an airplane.

As far as buying, well it all comes down to price. Is the engine good? Is the price equivalent to just a little more than the value of the engine? Then I'd go for it. You could always part it out and get your money back.

If it's more than that, it's going to come down to inspection results, expected cost of repair, and your tolerance for risk.

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SEKS-Aviator@reddit

They'd probably still asking 200K for this.

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PhotoBeginning@reddit

Personal opinion, don’t buy this one. Other personal opinion, don’t buy a 172 / 152 unless you NEED one. Like maybe if you’re shopping for a flight school. They’re stupidly overpriced for what you get right now.

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galloping_skeptic@reddit

I wouldn't touch that plane with a 10 foot pole. A lot of what you see is cosmetic, but it's the parts you can't see that worry me. My guess is that those wing spars are just as bad.

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PhotoBeginning@reddit

Less likely the spar itself on 172s. But that’s because the carry through block goes first. Ask me how I know…

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ElPayador@reddit

Forest… RUN 🏃‍♂️

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BrtFrkwr@reddit

Not this one. It needs a lot of restoration and it's had very poor care.

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Hfyvr1@reddit

This particular plane will be more hassle than it’s worth - guaranteed. The corrosion above the trailing edge of the flap alcove is the worst. And why that’s the worst is the aluminum structure is essentially breaking down. Those rivets are no longer holding the sheet metal together at this point.

For that corrosion to get THAT bad. It’s a representative surface, highly visible, and if they signed that out as airworthy - you can just imagine what way worse things they turned a blind eye to.

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minfremi@reddit

Get a proper pre-buy inspection completed by a mechanic that has never been associated with this airplane.

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Glum_You7055@reddit

That looks dangerous. That wing root needs to support load factors greater than the weight of the airplane.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Air_Lines_Flight_123?wprov=sfti1

^^ Not a 1-1 example, but shows the importance of structural integrity

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SirMcWaffel@reddit

Root wing corrosion is something for a professional to look at very closely. As a pilot I would not fly with corrosion in such a critical area without an A&P checking in out first.

I would walk away from purchasing the aircraft. There are better ones out there

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Severe_Elderberry769@reddit

It’s fine

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Icy-Pumpkin1017@reddit (OP)

My personal opinion is to stay far away from this airplane - I don’t even think I would fly it once. Thoughts?

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RaiseTheDed@reddit

The wingtip bit near the nav light is very commonly seen on 172s. It's plastic, and they just seem to not fit right most of the time. More of an indicator of how the airplane is treated.

The other parts, I'd want an A&P I trust to look at. I wouldn't buy it either way.

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FuelBest2339@reddit

Would I fly it? Maybe, depending on what an A&P says. Would I buy it? Fk no.

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

I was looking into purchasing a 172 for personal and providing instruction. This 172 located in a coastal area caught my attention because of its corrosion. I know we should all be wary about corrosion and we see it in small quantities often during our preflight. How much is too much? I am not in the decision stage of buying yet - and if I was, I would obviously have it inspected. I tried looking through AC 43-4B for more guidance but I was interested in your thoughts. Would you fly this?

Aircraft: 172N

First picture: wing root fairing junction bulging/corrosion

Second picture: exfoliation corrosion on lap joint above flap

Third picture: functional but damaged nav light (and corrosion)

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