Chased a fuel leak for 8 hours on a Cessna 172

Had a bird strike on a 172 last week at KPTW. After the fix, fuel was weeping from the right tank sump drain. Swapped the O-ring, still leaked. Pulled the entire drain assembly, nothing. Turns out the housing had a hairline crack from the impact that I couldn't see until I put it under a bright light. 8 hours for a $35 part. Anyone else miss obvious stuff like that on simple repairs?

2 comments

2 Comments

skyler_white1mo ago

Is a slow weep really that big of a deal?

taylor.mary1mo ago

Have you ever dealt with a slow weep that turned into a full leak later on? I'd rather fix a small drip now than wake up to water damage and a huge bill. Prevention is way cheaper than the alternative, right?