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14 September 2000

IN REPLY,REFER TO:
L417-02-00-173

Federal Aviation Administration
Aircraft Certification Office
1801 Airport Road
Wichita, Kansas 67209

ATTENTION:

Mr. C. Dale Bleakney

SUBJECT:

Cessna/FAA Integral Tank Water Contamination Test Action Plan

Dear Mr. Bleakney:

A meeting was held at Cessna's East Field Engineering Facility on 13 September 2000 to discuss water contamination
testing on the Model 172R. The meeting was intended to establish a "go forward" plan for the tests, and agreement
between all parties involved on the next steps and necessary documentation and procedures. The following were in
attendance:

Mike Kiesov - Small Aircraft Directorate
Gerry Baker - Wichita ACO Flight Test Manager
Jeff Janusz - Wichita ACO Propulsion
Bob Adamson - Wichita ACO Propulsion
D.F. McHome - Wichita MIDO IDP PI
Cindy Enspringer - Wichita MIDO Cessna Mid-Continent PI
Melinda Alexander - Small Aircraft Directorate
Dale Bleakney - Wichita ACO Cessna Program Manager
Jerry Brown - Wichita ACO Flight Test
Stan O'Brien - Cessna Director, Single Engine Engineering
Ted Moody - Cessna Airworthiness
Steve Copeland - Cessna Project Engineer
Doug Bassett - Cessna Flight Test Supervisor
Mike McClary - Cessna Airworthiness

During the meeting, the FAA and Cessna discussed means by which to expeditiously agree on a test plan and carry out associated tests to demonstrate that the Model 172R cannot retain undetectable water which could cause engine interruption.

Cessna had earlier proposed to utilize formalized results of previous tests, performed by Cessna in development of its
initial water contamination test plan, as substantiation that the tank design is safe from a water retention standpoint
The FAA did not see this as feasible, and determined that formal tests would need to be completed with the FAA and
Cessna working together for completion. Both the FAA and Cessna agreed that the Model 172P aircraft equipped with integral tanks will be addressed after the 172R.

The following action items were agreed upon:

 

1)

Cessna: Steve Copeland will revise Cessna Report FT172R-15 per the following:

 

 

A.

Revise FT172R-15 to include documentation of Experimental inspection and configuration control
procedure used for ground and flight testing.

 

B.

Revise the ground testing portion of FT172R-15 as follows:

i. Add two additional aircraft to the conformity and tank saturation ground testing.

ii. Add a third procedure to determine tank water saturation by pouring water into each integral tank bay.

iii. Add a statement to the first simulated condensation saturation test to assure that tanks have been
thoroughly drained and dried prior to testing.

iv. Delete the procedure for determination of normal ground attitude.

 

C.

Revise the flight testing portion of FT172R-15 as follows:

i.  Add assessed risk results and mitigating factors to the flight test plan.

ii. Add a general system description and basic operation for the cabin auxiliary fuel tank installation.

iii. Add applicable portions of AC23-16.

iv. Revise the test plan to prepare the aircraft with the most conservative (maximum) amount and method of
water contamination determined by the three months of saturation testing on the three airplanes in the
ground tests.

v. Delete the flight test procedure for incremental water addition to the point of engine power interruption.

vi. Delete references to test plan revision procedures.

 

2)

FAA: Melinda Alexander will gather all known Service Difficulty Reports, including those from the NTSB, which
could apply to water contamination on Model 172 aircraft and will coordinate with Cessna by 27 September 2000
to determine which aircraft in those reports, if any, were equipped with integral tanks.

3)

Cessna: provide compliance substantiation for the Models 172, 182 and 206 airplanes manufactured since the
restart of production in 1996 with respect to the requirements of 14 CFR part 23.971, and water egress capability.

4) 

Cessna and FAA Flight Test personnel: work together to establish a risk assessment and safety plan, review the
auxiliary tank configuration, and utilize advisory circular AC23-16 guidelines during test flights to determine
whether an engine interruption has or has not occurred.

5) 

Cessna and FAA: the participants agreed that the test plan would be completed and approved by all parties by
Friday, 22 September 2000. The Small Aircraft Directorate will review and approve the test plan as well.

6)

Cessna and FAA: expedite test completion to the greatest extent possible.

7)

Cessna: provide a company report at the end of the testing which will provide a synopsis of all tests and the data associated with their completion, and will submit it to the FAA for closeout of the issue.

 

Cessna wishes to thank the FAA for this constructive meeting, and to express our optimism that, working together, this
issue can quickly and unquestionably be answered to the satisfaction of all parties involved. FAA review of, and
concurrence with, this synopsis letter are requested.

Very Truly Yours,
CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY

 

Mike McClary
Single Engine Executive Engineer

 

cc: Mike Kiesov, Small Aircraft Directorate

L417-02-00-173

 

  

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