mild wrinkle in door post?

[6643]

It's still really hard to tell from photos exactly what the problem is. It looks like the rivet at the bend was driven in too hard (or the bucking bar wasn't heavy enough) and the bend radius for that flange is too tight right there, but, it's a compound bend there and it may actually be acceptable.

Is there anything in the logs about damage or repairs to the fuselage? Do you have any idea how long it's been like that? Is it a very early serial number? Many of them had the door posts replaced in the field. Is there any evidence of cracking in the bend radius?

[atypicalguy]

door post 3.jpg (30.97 KiB) Viewed 183 times

Door post 2.jpg (26.32 KiB) Viewed 183 times

door post 1.jpg (27.1 KiB) Viewed 183 times

[atypicalguy]

It's still really hard to tell from photos exactly what the problem is. It looks like the rivet at the bend was driven in too hard (or the bucking bar wasn't heavy enough) and the bend radius for that flange is too tight right there, but, it's a compound bend there and it may actually be acceptable.

Is there anything in the logs about damage or repairs to the fuselage? Do you have any idea how long it's been like that? Is it a very early serial number? Many of them had the door posts replaced in the field. Is there any evidence of cracking in the bend radius?

No cracks. This whole plane has been smashed by trees etc during its long life. It was a flight school plane in NY in the 1940s and got resurrected a couple of times.

I am pretty sure this part of the doorpost hasn't changed at all since I have owned it. I didn't consider it any sort of potential problem until I asked an IA to sign off the annual (which has taken awhile due to my rear bulkhead replacement project because my whole field is shut down except the Cirrus shop, and he doesn't do metal stuff any more). Anyway this particular IA maintains about 14 planes for a local family including a citation, and I don't think he is used to looking at this type of old machine, so he didn't really want to dig into whether it was OK or not. So he suggested I run it by some other people. Which I am doing There are other funky aspects to this side of the fuselage as well. Keep in mind I have put about 120 hours on it looking pretty much exactly like this: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mxb29v1p ... rmgwu&dl=0

[6643]

Are there any members in your area with an A&P or preferably IA rating you could get to look at it?

[bc12d]

Not an A&P but that does not look like it would seriously compromise the structural integrity of the door post.

[6643]

that does not look like it would seriously compromise the structural integrity of the door post.

I'm inclined to agree, but, I also am inclined to think that the bend radius in that one section probably doesn't meet the minimum for that thickness of metal. Is that enough to affect airworthiness? That's above my pay grade.

[atypicalguy]

Not an A&P but that does not look like it would seriously compromise the structural integrity of the door post.

It hasn't moved in 120 hours of learning to fly, if that is any measure of structural integrity.

[atypicalguy]

Are there any members in your area with an A&P or preferably IA rating you could get to look at it?

Multiple IAs but not class members that I know of. The IA I mentioned didn't want to dig into it. The other one will be back next weekend. At least two others never mentioned it during previous annuals.