Spent 9 hours on a fuel tank leak that turned out to be one O-ring in Bakersfield

David Hill · 2026-10-15T23:05:03.613298+00:00

Chased a seep on a 172 for almost two full days, pulling panels and pressure testing until a grizzled IA at Bakersfield pointed at the sump drain valve. Turned out a 50 cent O-ring was letting fuel weep down the belly and making me think the tank was cracked. Anyone else ever lose a whole day to a part that costs less than a sandwich?

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Spent 9 hours on a fuel tank leak that turned out to be one O-ring in Bakersfield | Aircraft Mechanics - Opinions Matter