Stupid is as stupid does

[Dick Denenny]

Went for a short flight out of KCOE a couple of days ago. Have an outside parking place with plug in for my Tanis heater so nice place. Just ordered a tow hitch that I didn't have. Decided to come in "backwards" to the T. Looking completely to the right to make sure I didn't go over tie downs or chocks. Didn't look to the left as we all should watch all wing tips and put the wing into the back window of my car that I had parked behind the plane. Nice hole in the leading edge. Only the size of a quarter but still.   Got home and tow bar was at the door. Good timing. SHIT

[carusoam]

Yikes!

Consider getting the full affect of the situation… post a pic. 

What is the next steps?

Best regards,

-a-

[PT20J]

Don't feel lonely, we've all done stuff like that. I used to take a float Beaver into a very tight dock up in Canada. Every time was a challenge of skill not to hit an expensive boat with a wingtip. One day the dock was wide open. I came in at a more shallow angle than normal because I had room. I realized too late that the current was driving me toward a piling and hit the wing tip on it. If I have learned anything over the years, it is that most goofs (and not just in aviation) come from focusing on one thing when the real risk is somewhere else. Easy to see afterwards -- not so easy to prevent (at least for me).

Skip

[N201MKTurbo]

I made a die set to straighten the leading edge. Don’t ask. I’ll send it if you want it.

[Dick Denenny]

Thanks for all the positive support. Sounds crazy but I was pretty down on myself, but all is well. 

Here are pictures. 

[carusoam]

Interesting…

Check in with @Alan Fox he comes across some spare aluminum Mooney parts every now and then… he may have some stored away….

I’m not sure if existing panels can be repaired with another set of existing panels… holes may be in different locations…

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic…

-a-

[Alan Fox]

I have wing tips

 

[carusoam]

@Dick Denenny… see note from Alan above…

Go MS!

-a-

[Igor_U]

15 hours ago, Alan Fox said:

I have wing tips

 

Correct me if I am wrong but how would wingtip help? Damage is on outer wing skin that would need to be replaced. He needs a new one from Mooney with no holes as I doubt they would match from plane to plane... I wouldn't like a patch on the LE.

[hubcap]

4 hours ago, Igor_U said:

Correct me if I am wrong but how would wingtip help? Damage is on outer wing skin that would need to be replaced. He needs a new one from Mooney with no holes as I doubt they would match from plane to plane... I wouldn't like a patch on the LE.

One of the flight school 172's where I got my instrument rating has a patch on the lead of one of the wings from a bird strike. It has been flying for years like that.

[Alan Fox]

14 hours ago, Igor_U said:

Correct me if I am wrong but how would wingtip help? Damage is on outer wing skin that would need to be replaced. He needs a new one from Mooney with no holes as I doubt they would match from plane to plane... I wouldn't like a patch on the LE.

I have the last 3 feet of wing , with the end rib , and structure, A good sheet metak , can rivet it on 

[markgrue]

At the flight school where I do a lot of work I repair a leading edge a couple times a year.   Seems the students tend to misjudge them a lot.   That said replacing the tip would probably be a better option for your pride and joy.   Perhaps a conversation with Alan is the best option. 

 

Mark 

[Browncbr1]

My left wing tip had damage like that years before my ownership. Previous owner riveted a patch.  Mine is a little farther out though.  Same paint colors/scheme as yours too.  If I ever paint my plane, will put some microballons to hide it better.  Most planes have a little rash over the years.  
 

heck, when I went to buy my F, the owner was PIC and knocked the side mirror off his suv with the right wing tip taxiing back to his hangar.   We laughed and said, better the car took the damage rather than the plane. 

Edited February 12, 2022 by Browncbr1

[jaylw314]

19 hours ago, hubcap said:

One of the flight school 172's where I got my instrument rating has a patch on the lead of one of the wings from a bird strike. It has been flying for years like that.

I think people were more concerned about how it looks

I think AC43.13-1b only gives examples of using round-head rivets for patches, which never looks good.  You could use flush head rivets and dimple the skins for the repair to make it look better, but I'm not sure how an IA would feel about that.

[N201MKTurbo]

This what I made to straighten the leading edge. It is about two inches thick Delrin.

Edited February 12, 2022 by N201MKTurbo

[EricJ]

5 hours ago, jaylw314 said:

I think people were more concerned about how it looks

I think AC43.13-1b only gives examples of using round-head rivets for patches, which never looks good.  You could use flush head rivets and dimple the skins for the repair to make it look better, but I'm not sure how an IA would feel about that.

That's a normal repair.  AC 43.13 also shows how to use flush rivets and blind rivets in repairs.   "Flush patches" are common and taught and practiced in A&P school.   The SMM for my J model basically says to repair skin damage per AC 43.13 unless entire skin panels are to be replaced.   That said, for a leading edge I'd check with an experienced sheet metal shop or two before proceeding, but I don't think this repair should be a Big Deal.

[Joshua Blackh4t]

I repaired the leading edge of my low wing ultralight with a patch. 

The dent was in the first bay, so it was very structural, but with professional advice I cut a patch, cut the leading edge to match the patch, made an internal doubler about an inch wide. Rivetted in the doubler, rivetted the patch in, and it looks like a feature, not a fix. 

Engine failure -> forced landing -> windshear -> wing brush-> landing at 30 degrees to straight -> running off the paddock and hitting a metal post. 

[Jeph357]

If only it was this easy... (apologies for the horrible photoshop)

[Guest]

I just priced the same skin for a J model.  It’s about 5-600 from Mooney.  I’d order a new skin and replace it before I’d patch it.

Clarence

[DXB]

On 2/9/2022 at 9:35 PM, Dick Denenny said:

Went for a short flight out of KCOE a couple of days ago. Have an outside parking place with plug in for my Tanis heater so nice place. Just ordered a tow hitch that I didn't have. Decided to come in "backwards" to the T. Looking completely to the right to make sure I didn't go over tie downs or chocks. Didn't look to the left as we all should watch all wing tips and put the wing into the back window of my car that I had parked behind the plane. Nice hole in the leading edge. Only the size of a quarter but still.   Got home and tow bar was at the door. Good timing. SHIT

Good guidance here - also don't forget your insurance likely covers this.  At least it did for my hangar vs. elevator trailing edge misadventure. My gasp and subsequent self-flagellation were probably pretty similar to yours. 

Edited February 16, 2022 by DXB

[Mac80]

 My bird strike had insurance coverage on leading edge. New sheet and painting was pretty stiff.

Looks like a great blue heron jumped up and hit your plane while turning base.

Also covered my rudder replacement when parked to close to bi fold door. Opps.

Rates did not jump till last year.

 

[whiskytango]

FWIW be glad that it was a Mooney and not a Cirrus that was damaged.  A buddy had the wing of his Cirrus punctured by use of an improper jack by a shop when they were working on his brakes. The repair required that the Cirrus factory send an engineer to document the damage, do an extensive engineering analysis and design a custom repair.  His plane was down for months.  Fortunately the shop ate the cost of the repair, which was substantial.

[bmcconnaha]

@Dick Denenny I’m based at KCOE also.  Hangared close to where you tie down.  Sorry about your bad luck with your wing.  

[xcrmckenna]

Thanks for all the positive support. Sounds crazy but I was pretty down on myself, but all is well. 
Here are pictures. 

I feel your pain and don’t get down on yourself to much! I was backing my plane into my hangar a few years ago. Had to tow it all the way from the fuel pumps because my starter finally crapped out after I had limped it along for a month or two. It was late at night. I used my little lawn tractor to tow it. But it started spitting sparks out the exhaust. Got a little freaked out thinking it might catch on fire and burn my plane down as well. So I quickly disconnected it from the plane. Road it over to the hangar and lifted the hood to see if anything was on fire. I left the hood up.

Grabbed my sidewinder to pull the plane the rest of the way to the hangar and thought I need to put the hood on the tractor down before I put it all the way in. Well you can guess I’m just those 2 or three minutes I forgot. The edge of the sheet metal tractor hood cut a line right down the aileron. Super not impressed with myself…

Glad the damage happened for you while you were on the ground and everyone is safe.

My plane is just about to be salvage because a guy hand propped his 172 and it took off on him and hit my plane. Shit happens. Hope you are up flying soon!


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[Guest]

7 hours ago, xcrmckenna said:

I feel your pain and don’t get down on yourself to much! I was backing my plane into my hangar a few years ago. Had to tow it all the way from the fuel pumps because my starter finally crapped out after I had limped it along for a month or two. It was late at night. I used my little lawn tractor to tow it. But it started spitting sparks out the exhaust. Got a little freaked out thinking it might catch on fire and burn my plane down as well. So I quickly disconnected it from the plane. Road it over to the hangar and lifted the hood to see if anything was on fire. I left the hood up.

Grabbed my sidewinder to pull the plane the rest of the way to the hangar and thought I need to put the hood on the tractor down before I put it all the way in. Well you can guess I’m just those 2 or three minutes I forgot. The edge of the sheet metal tractor hood cut a line right down the aileron. Super not impressed with myself…

Glad the damage happened for you while you were on the ground and everyone is safe.

My plane is just about to be salvage because a guy hand propped his 172 and it took off on him and hit my plane. Shit happens. Hope you are up flying soon!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How bad is the damage to yours if you’re talking about salvage?

Clarence