SonexBuilders.net

I looked at a Sonex for sale and I have some concerns about possible unseen damage. The owner told me the previous owner had an off-airport landing in 2012 in which both wingtips touched the ground. The right wing has a skin patch on the outboard leading edge. The left wing looks OK, but the upper flap skin in the inboard trailing corner is wrinkled. The owner said the flap contacted the fuselage side, and that panel of fuselage skin was replaced. The wings and rivet lines look straight. I don't know if it has any odd flying habits because I wasn't able to fly it. The airframe log notes the repairs, but it doesn't say whether the wings were removed and the spars inspected. I'm especially concerned about the left spar. It seems to me there must have been considerable rearward force on the wing, and the spar must have flexed in order for the flap to contact the fuselage. Should I be concerned about stress to the spar, attachment bolts and holes? If such an incident happened to your plane, would you remove the wings and inspect the spars? If so, what signs of stress or damage would you look for?

I would be looking for a different Sonex for sale. Agree with your concerns over the damage and forces required to cause such damages. Have you done a N-number search to see what the history shows?

I searched the Internet with Google, Checked the Sonex Owners Foundation's list of incidents and searched the NTSB accident database but didn't find anything.

My intuition is that something in the rear spar would have to bend for the flap to make contact with the fuselage like that.

Jeff Schultz experienced a crash that bent the wings back (and totaled the airplane). Maybe some of his pictures of the rear spar damage might give you ideas of what to look for: http://www.sonex604.com/crash.html

I guess if the wings were removed, you could inspect the part of the spars where they pass through the fuselage and the condition of the bolted joints.

I agree with Scott, though, I'd probably pass on the plane too.

If the price was right I would look at it. It's not diificult at all to take the wings off, not in the grand scheme of things. 2 bolts per wing, a few small ones on the control rods, pitot static and maybe some wires.

Is it a screaming deal? Spend 2 hours and check it out.

Chris, it isn't a screaming deal compared to other planes on the market. Thanks for all your comments; I think I will check out some other prospects before asking the owner to pull the wings, but I might suggest that he should do so anyway for his own sake.

Is should be a screaming deal to consider it. You could be rolling the dice even if it is a screaming deal.

Somewhere on the Sonex plans is a dimension between a wingtip and the tail tip.I would measure this distance on both wings and see if it matches the plans. That would determine if there was a permanent bend in the wings. I don't know what that dimension is.

Bob Sonex 550