C172 wing to fuselage clearance/play

Check the wing bolts for evidence of looseness.
Corrosion in the wing splice?

I can see the windshield move relative to the wings, but I can’t see that the fuselage does.

That the windshield is not rigidly attached to the airframe is probably a good thing.

What happens on other similar planes?

It doesn’t look good… any movement like this makes a plane vulnerable to aerodynamic oscillation (flutter).

Airborne_Again wrote:

I can see the windshield move relative to the wings, but I can’t see that the fuselage does.

Yes, looks like it. Still kind of odd though ?

Hi! Difficult to tell how much gentleness was being used. There is however significant mass in fuel-filled wing tanks and a decent oscillation can thus be induced.

If this is play, then it has to be fixed ASAP (the live sound should tell whether it is) . If this is deformation in the frame of the forward doorposts and the result of relatively little force, it can be misrigging of the struts or cracking in the fwd doorposts or the wing upper fwd attachment that should be inspected and fixed. If this is the result of significant force then it could be normal. Seaplane Cessna’s use bracing on the fwd wing mount to limit this movement and avoid cracking in the area of fwd doorposts. I am not familiar with the type, but I would not be surprised if there is a Cessna SB to inspect these posts for cracks at a certain location.I seem to recall there was one SB for inspection for corrosion in the upper fwd attachment on some strutted wing Cessnas.

Depending upon the year of this 172, this Cessna service bulletin may be applicable:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Cessna+SEB95-19

If it is applicable, this is very likely the place to look. If it’s a 172 out of the SB model range, still look in the lower forward doorpost area. The forward doorpost “rectangle” is deforming as a parallelogram. This is “wear” primarily occurring because of lots of rough/grass runway operations, and being loosely tied down, or just chocked in heavy winds for very extended periods.

This plane is probably safe to ferry for inspection/repair, but I wouldn’t call it “airworthy” until it’s confirmed so by inspection. The windshield entirely floats in it’s mounting to it is ridged while the fuselage is flexing around it. I’ve seen this before, and my 150 does it a little bit while taxing on uneven ground, but this is the most extreme I’ve seen.

As a single Cessna pilot, while you taxi any single Cessna over uneven ground, watch the base of the windshield at the glare shield centerline, to see if there is relative motion. There’s usually a little (1/4" or so), but I’ve never seen it at the top before, that’s really loose. You’ll note that all Cessna floatplanes have either a V brace, or cross bracing wires. as seen in this 182 I’m landing in a friend’s lake:

This cross bracing is vital on a Cessna floatplane, as there is no suspension for water landings, and it’s common in rough water for the fuselage to be deflected so as to loosen it this way. The V brace (which I like less than the wires) bolts to the top of the glare shield just over the radios. I’ve seen them loose and slopping around 1/2" during rough water takeoffs. The wires are better, but they cut across the avionics stack, and displace the top radio. Happily, when I had the cross bracing wires installed in this 182, the display of the GTN750 went in front of the wires under the glareshield, so it was a nice fit. If these bracing wires or a V brace were installed at new, this 172plane would not be loose this way.

I’m working on the approval of a repair kit for this problem in 182’s, it would be helpful to me, if the report of the inspection of this 172 could be posted back here…

Pilot_DAR wrote:

this Cessna service bulletin may be applicable

Yes that is the one I recalled, lower doorpost, not upper as I thought