PA28 cracked top wing skin

[.Ben]

Doing walk around today and noticed a 1 inch crack in the top wing skin parallel to a line of flush rivets (about 1/4 inch from the rivets) since I can't ask my AME because it's Saturday whats the repair procedure for something like this?

I'll try to snap a picture later

[SeptRepair]

Look to AC 43-13 for an appropriate repair scheme.

[Angusnofangus]

Don't have AC 43-13 handy, but repair is probably to stop-drill the crack and install a scab patch with two rows of rivets. As said above, consult 43-13 for exact repair. In any case, get it fixed. Cracks will only get bigger, and IMHO as an AME-S, a wing skin crack grounds your airplane.

[Heliian]

Yup, just keep patching it, don't worry about the underlying cause, how bad could it be? A wing skin is part of the structure and any cracks or damage should be dealt with by a licensed professional. Sure it could be simple but why did it crack in the first place?

[Angusnofangus]

Any tin basher that knows what he's is doing WILL also be looking for other damage. In this case, possibly a cracked rib.

[DanWEC]

Chalks Airways Mallard comes to mind. Scary stuff.

[Badfarmer]

Very familiar with this type of damage. Review CAR 571 Schedule II.
Chances are the wing stringer has failed (as in the area of the door entry - wing walk) and will require an appropriately rated AMO to repair.
Last one we did cost the owner upwards of $5000 including parts from Piper (corrugated stiffner and stringers) and approximately 3 weeks.

[hoserjoe]

Doing walk around today and noticed a 1 inch crack in the top wing skin

I had my regular Cherokee 6 grounded after a crack like this appeared due to a corroded wing spar adjacent to the main gear leg attachment. You need to have it inspected by a structures type.

[PilotDAR]

I was asked to consider issuing a repair design approval for wing spar corrosion on an Arrow I. The whole thing did not end well for the plane. In addition to the easily visible corrosion, I was certain that there was other not so easily seen corrosion in the structure. I consulted with TC, and after discussion determined that rework/repair was not practically approvable. The whole plane was scrapped, as beyond economical repair. I believe that serviceable wings are rare for the Cherokee series. I have been told by Piper Technical Services that Piper is not interested in supporting these legacy aircraft with replacement parts.

I recommend that structural damage or corrosion on these aircraft be taken very seriously, and not let go on to get worse.

To make matters more challenging, Piper does not allow for "negligible damage" on these aircraft. I went through a too large program to approve "repair" of a hail damaged PA-28-161. For those who have to deal with a hail damaged Piper, refer to Piper Service Letter No. 1095 of May 27, 2005. It has very little affectivity and scope, but is a starting point, and formed the basis for the approval I did to get this one aircraft back into the air.

[Strega]

Pilot DAR,

What is the scope of your DA? I thought it was Powerplants; Systems & Equipment

[PilotDAR]

I thought it was Powerplants; Systems & Equipment

My scope has been increased considerably since the original delegation.

[rigpiggy]

Chalks Airways Mallard comes to mind. Scary stuff.

Chalks was due to a muffed repair, drilling into the spar itself if i remember correctly