The FAA has adopted an airworthiness directive (AD) requiring owners of some Cessna 172R and 172S airplanes to inspect fuel return line assemblies for chafing.
The FAA issued the AD, which takes effect Dec. 28 for airplanes with applicable serial numbers, in response to reports of fuel return line assemblies that were found to have chafed from rubbing against the right steering tube assembly during full rudder-pedal actuation.
The AD requires replacement of the fuel return line assembly if chafing is found; inspection of clearance between the fuel return line assembly and both the right steering tube assembly and the airplane structure; and adjustment as necessary.
The required inspection must take place at the next annual inspection after the Dec. 28 effective date, or within the next 100 hours time-in-service after the effective date, or within the next 12 calendar months of the effective date, the FAA said.
The FAA estimates that 55 airplanes of U.S. registry are affected by the AD.
