Dangling Pant skirt in flight

[Andrew Lane]

Thought i hit a divot or small pothole on takeoff at Tucson. Now I see my pant skirt is dangling. Told ATC to let TUS know there’s definitely something on their runway. Will tell MYF about it on arrival so they know I’ll need time and spacing, might pop a tire. I assume I’ll need to do a full flap slow approach and hope not to lose the tire or centerline.

[WmInce]

Wow . . . thanks for the pic!

[Andrew Lane]

Landed safely at MYF. It dangled for 4 hours, then fell off on short final. Felt silly arriving home to a parade of fire trucks on standby, sure glad to be home safe

[Flying Bozo]

So did the fiberglass tear where the fasteners were holding it on or we we the fasteners pulled out or missing? I have had the front one loosen but spotted it on next pre flight. From the picture it is hard to tell what was keeping it on for 4 hours.

Larry

[John Vance]

Four years ago, I had the larger outboard screw fall off during flight on the passenger side, but luckily the wheel pant stayed in place (discovered on the next preflight).  Since then, I’ve always used a drop of blue loctite when re-installing the fasteners. 

[Flying Bozo]

OK the loctite sounds like a good idea. But what I was wondering is what caused Andrew's wheel pant to come off in that manner. It does look like something hit it on the front left side but the configuration of it hanging on there is baffling. I am wondering if a screw was backed out or fiberglass tore or what might have caused it to hang on in the way that the picture shows. Had the wheel pants just been off and then put back on perhaps with a screw missing? Was there any torn out fiberglass remaining around the bolts or screws that would still be present around the screw holes if it tore itself from the screw when it hit something??

Knowing what happened might help us out on avoiding a similar situation.

Thanks,

Larry

[Tom Baker]

The CTLS MM calls for medium Loctite on the bolt and screws holding the fairing in place. 

[sandpiper]

Also wouldn't hurt to use some torque seal so you can tell at a glance if the screws/bolts have moved.

[Runtoeat]

for using both loctite and torque seal John.  I also do both.  The other thing is don't use the rubber washers.  Throw them out and bolt solid with large stainless fender washer on inside and outside of wheel pant.  I form the washers to fit the surface of the pant.

[sandpiper]

I got rid of the rubber washers long ago and, like you did Dick, went with a large fender washer inside and a smaller washer on the outside that fits in the depression.

[WmInce]

8 hours ago, Runtoeat said:

for using both loctite and torque seal John.  I also do both.  The other thing is don't use the rubber washers.  Throw them out and bolt solid with large stainless fender washer on inside and outside of wheel pant.  I form the washers to fit the surface of the pant.

x2

[207WF]

Also want the glider tape in that area to be in good shape.  WF

[sandpiper]

I've got the tape, too. Plus some automotive wheel weights on the back inside wall of the pant. Weights were supposed to reduce the shake in the pants. Can't tell a difference either way.

[207WF]

A former mechanic glued on a stall strip, like from a wing stoll kit, on the bottom  backside of my wheel pant to help control the shaking in cruise.   He aimed them a bit off center but not sure how he figured out how to aim them.

WF