Caught a wiring error on a Cessna 172 at KDAB that changed my inspection routine

Last month I was doing a routine annual on a 172 at Daytona Beach and found a jumbled bundle of wires near the firewall. Some previous mechanic had zip-tied them so tight the insulation was rubbing through on a bracket. Took me about 45 minutes to reroute and secure everything properly with grommets. Ever since that day I always peel back clamps and look for chafing even if it looks clean from the outside. Have any of you found hidden wire damage that wasn't obvious at first glance?

3 comments

3 Comments

spencerm462mo ago

Are you really that paranoid over one bad bundle in a Cessna... Most of those wires are thick enough that a little rub isn't gonna cause a fire overnight. A 45 minute fix sounds like overkill when a zip tie and some tape would've held for years.

samwalker2mo ago

A couple zip ties fixed a wiring mess in my 172 ten years ago and it's still fine.

loganthompson1mo ago

Tape's a bandaid, not a fix, especially in a hot firewall area where adhesive can bake off over time. That zip tie trick is fine until one day it's not, and you're tracing a short that took out the panel or worse, the mag switch. I'd rather spend that 45 minutes (and it really is about that long on a 172) doing it right with grommets and proper routing than hoping the tape holds for another decade. Just my two cents from chasing electrical gremlins in the field, you know?