The great torque wrench mix-up at the regional hangar

I keep seeing new hires using a 3/8-inch drive torque wrench on the small terminal block screws for the nav light circuits. They crank it down like it's a wheel nut. I found three stripped terminal blocks in a Cessna 172 last month, all from the same shop. The spec is 12 inch-pounds, not foot-pounds. Has anyone else had to rewire a whole circuit because someone didn't check the tool setting?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan_campbell17d agoMost Upvoted

Heard from @clairem47's coworker who found a mangled panel from torqued overkill, total rewiring nightmare.

paul3461mo ago

Come on, how bad can it really be?

clairem471mo ago

Ugh, my buddy had to replace a whole ignition harness for the same reason.