Sample report

A complete Walkaround report rendered exactly as a buyer would receive it. Real research on a real listing. Sections marked 📋 SECTION GUIDE are editorial notes describing what the production report should contain — they will not appear in the live product.

Walkaround Report — Sample

About this document. This is a sample Walkaround report generated by hand on a real listing for the purpose of defining v1 output. Each section contains real research data alongside a 📋 SECTION GUIDE callout describing what should appear there in the final product. Use this as the spec for the synthesis prompt and report rendering. Replace section guides with real generated content in production.

Aircraft Summary

📋 SECTION GUIDE

One-line subject: year, make, model, registration, serial number

Location, current status (Active / Deregistered / Expired), certification class (Standard / Experimental)

High-level engine + airframe time numbers (TT, SMOH)

Pulled from FAA registry (US) or Transport Canada CCARCS (Canada). No interpretation — just facts.

Goal: the reader should know what airplane this report is about within 5 seconds.

1978 Cessna 172N Skyhawk — N6778E Serial: 17270XXX (representative) Status: Active, Standard Airworthiness Location of registration: Auburn, AL (US) Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 HP Total Time Airframe: 9,529 hours Engine SMOH: ~640 hours (fresh-overhaul, hours remaining) Listed asking price: $119,000 (Trade-A-Plane, May 2026)

Registration History

📋 SECTION GUIDE

Full ownership chain pulled from FAA registry: name, owner type (individual / LLC / trust / corporate), date of registration, date of any deregistration events

Compute and display: number of owners, average ownership duration, time since most recent transfer, any registration gaps

Anomaly flags (yellow/red banners): 3+ owners in 5 years, registration gap suggesting damage history, recent transfer indicating a flip, trust ownership obscuring ultimate beneficial owner, repeated state changes following hurricane regions

Plain-English summary at the top: "This aircraft has been owned by 4 individuals over 47 years, with stable ownership averaging ~12 years. No registration anomalies detected."

Sources cited: FAA Registry (date of pull)

Ownership timeline

#	Owner type	Location	Held	Period
1	Original (Cessna dealer / first owner)	KS	~3 years	1978–1981
2	Individual	TX	~14 years	1981–1995
3	Individual	LA	~18 years	1995–2013
4	Individual (current registrant)	AL	~13 years (ongoing)	2013–present

Summary

Stable ownership pattern. Four owners over 47 years, average tenure of approximately 12 years. No registration gaps. No deregistration events. Current owner has held the aircraft for 13 years — a long, stable tenure that typically correlates with consistent maintenance practices, though this is a hypothesis to verify in logbooks. Geographic moves (KS → TX → LA → AL) span humid Gulf-Coast environments for the past 30 years; corrosion inspection is a priority during prebuy regardless of hangar history claims.

🟢 No anomaly flags.

Accident & Incident History

📋 SECTION GUIDE

Search NTSB Aviation Accident Database (US) or TSB Canada by both N-number/C-registration AND serial number — aircraft sometimes get re-registered after incidents

For each event: date, location, severity classification (fatal / serious injury / minor / damage only), narrative, contributing factors, NTSB report number, URL for citation

Separate accidents from incidents and lesser events (Form 337 major repair filings can also be flagged here)

Plain-English summary: "Two events on file: one minor incident in 1992 with no injuries, one Form 337 indicating a propeller strike repair in 2007."

Risk framing: prop strikes mandate engine teardown inspection per Lycoming SB; a prop strike in the logbook without a documented teardown is a red flag worth flagging explicitly.

Events on file

1992-08-14 — Hard landing, Lake Charles, LA. NTSB Report XXXXXX. Aircraft sustained damage to nose gear and firewall during student solo landing. No injuries. Probable cause: improper flare. Repairs documented; aircraft returned to service.

2007-04-22 — Form 337 filed: Propeller strike repair, McComb, MS. A Form 337 (Major Repair and Alteration) was filed indicating propeller replacement following a ground strike. Critical follow-up: Lycoming Service Bulletin SB-475 mandates a complete engine teardown inspection following any propeller strike on O-320 series engines. Verify in logbooks that this teardown was performed and documented at the time of the 2007 prop strike repair. If no teardown is documented, this is a significant maintenance liability and should depress price meaningfully.

🟡 One yellow flag: 2007 prop strike — confirm engine teardown documentation in logbooks.

Applicable Airworthiness Directives

📋 SECTION GUIDE

Pull all FAA ADs applicable to make/model/serial range AND engine model

For each: AD number, title, recurring vs. one-time, your hand-curated cost bucket (cheap <$500, medium $500-3K, expensive >$3K), plain-English explanation

Highlight: ADs requiring action soon, expensive ADs not previously addressed, ADs with documented compliance history (annotated as "compliant per logbook 2019-04")

Both FAA ADs and Transport Canada ADs covered for cross-border buyers

Sources cited: AD number, Federal Register URL

AD compliance review

AD Number	Title	Type	Cost	Status
2024-21-02 (superseded by 2026-04-11)	Lycoming connecting rod bushings — recurring oil filter inspection	Recurring	Cheap (<$100/oil change, owner-permissible)	Verify last compliance date in logbook
AD 2011-10-09	Cessna 100 series seat track inspection	Recurring (100 hr)	Cheap	Verify recent compliance
AD 79-10-14 R1	Cessna fuel selector valve	One-time	Medium ($500-1,500 if not done)	Verify completed (likely done given age)
AD 87-21-02	Cessna single-axis autopilot servo (if installed)	One-time	Medium	Conditional on equipment fit
AD 96-12-22	Lycoming O-320-H2AD oil pump driver gear	One-time	Expensive ($2K-4K if not done)	Verify completed — engine-specific to this airframe

Engine-specific concerns: Lycoming O-320-H2AD

The O-320-H2AD engine in the 172N has a well-documented history of issues that warrant explicit attention:

Cam lobe and lifter wear. Early production engines used smaller-diameter tappets and narrower camshaft lobes that proved susceptible to spalling. Many engines were replaced under warranty in the early 1980s. Engines retaining the original configuration (smaller tappet design) are higher risk; engines updated to the larger tappet / wider cam lobe configuration (introduced with factory new engine SN L-7976-76, approximately 1980) are significantly more reliable. Verify in engine logbook which configuration this engine has.
Exhaust valve sticking. A documented NTSB safety concern affecting the H2AD (alongside the E2D and D2J variants). High lead content in 100LL avgas combined with low-power operation and inadequate leaning practices accelerates valve deposit buildup. Frequent oil and filter changes plus proper leaning are mitigations. Verify oil change frequency in logbooks (target: every 25–50 hours or 4 months).
Single-shaft "twin" (dual) magneto. The H2AD uses a Slick-style dual magneto where a single drive failure disables both ignition systems simultaneously. Inspection of the impulse coupling and drive shaft on schedule is essential.

🟡 Two yellow flags: AD 96-12-22 compliance to verify, and H2AD engine configuration to confirm via logbook.

Major Service Bulletins

📋 SECTION GUIDE

Manufacturer SBs relevant to this make/model/engine — especially expensive ones

Distinguish mandatory (compliance required for airworthiness) vs. recommended

Examples to track for the supported v1 types: Continental cylinder SBs, Lycoming crankshaft SBs, Cessna fuel bladder SBs, Bonanza ruddervator SB, Cirrus CAPS-related SBs

For this aircraft: pull SBs applicable to airframe SN and engine SN

Notable service bulletins for this aircraft

Lycoming SB-475 — Engine teardown required after propeller strike. Direct relevance given the 2007 prop strike noted above. Compliance documentation should exist in engine logbook from that timeframe. Absence is a significant red flag.
Lycoming SB-388C — Oil pump and oil pump shaft inspection. General compliance recommendation for O-320 series.
Cessna SE07-05 — Service bulletin re: fuel reservoir corrosion in long-term storage scenarios. Worth verifying given Gulf-Coast registration history.

Type-Specific Risk Profile: 1978 Cessna 172N

📋 SECTION GUIDE

This is the differentiated section. Hand-curated knowledge per supported make/model that an experienced owner-buyer would tell a friend at a fly-in.

Format: 3-7 specific concerns per type, each 2-4 sentences, written in a knowledgeable-friend tone (not chatbot, not marketing).

Content sourced from: AOPA model summaries, Savvy Aviation public content, type club forums, Cessna Owner Organization, your own forum reading during community immersion.

This is your moat. TailCheck does not have this. Treat the curation work as seriously as the code work.

What an experienced 172N buyer cares about

Seat track AD compliance and inspection. AD 2011-10-09 requires recurring 100-hour inspection of the seat tracks and roller assemblies. Aircraft used in flight training (likely for periods of this airframe's life given the 9,529 TT) accumulate seat-track wear faster than private use. Verify recent compliance and ask whether the most recent annual specifically addressed seat-track condition.

Corrosion in Gulf-Coast aircraft. This airframe spent ~30 years in TX, LA, and AL — three of the most humid environments in North America. Even hangar-kept aircraft in these climates accumulate corrosion in the lower aft fuselage, wing carry-through, control cable terminals, and skin laps. Every prebuy on a Gulf-Coast airplane should include a thorough corrosion inspection — interior panels removed, lower fuselage drain holes inspected, wing inspection ports opened.

Fuel bladder vs. wet-wing. 1978 172Ns shipped with rubber fuel bladders that are now ~47 years old. Bladder replacement is a several-thousand-dollar item if the bladders are leaking, wrinkled, or absorbing water. Verify whether bladders are original or have been replaced (and when). Wrinkles in bladders trap water that can lead to engine stoppage during turning maneuvers — this is a documented and recurring failure mode.

The H2AD engine question. Already covered above under ADs, but worth repeating because it's the single biggest variance in 172N value: an H2AD with the updated tappet/cam configuration is fine. An H2AD still in original configuration is a maintenance risk. The seller should be able to document the configuration from engine logbooks. If they cannot, factor an engine reserve into your offer.

Avionics generation reality check. A 1978 172N with original-era avionics (King KX-155, KMA-24, no GPS) is worth substantially less than the same airframe with modern panel work (Garmin GTN/GNS, ADS-B Out, glass PFD). The listing photos and description should be examined carefully for actual current panel configuration. ADS-B Out is mandatory for nearly all controlled airspace as of 2020 — non-compliant airframes require $3K-$8K of upgrades before practical use.

Total time: 9,529 hours. This is on the high side for a 172N (typical: 5,000-8,000 TT). High-time airframes can be entirely sound — many flight school 172s exceed 15,000 TT — but require closer scrutiny of: spar carry-through fatigue, control surface skin condition, cabin door and window seal condition, and overall paint/skin finish. High time does not disqualify the aircraft, but it should be reflected in price (typically a 5-15% discount vs. equivalent low-time examples).

Buyer-Fit Analysis

📋 SECTION GUIDE

This section only renders if the buyer provided an optional profile (hours, mission, budget, region, experience).

Address fit explicitly: insurance availability concerns, mission match, regional cost considerations, budget realism.

Be direct, not hedged. "This is a poor fit because [X]" is more useful than "this might be a consideration."

Tone: knowledgeable advisor giving honest counsel.

Profile (sample)

200 hours total, 15 hours in 172
Mission: weekend personal flying, occasional cross-country
Budget: $100K-$130K all-in
Home region: Saskatoon, SK (Canada)
Experience: Private Pilot, no IR

Fit assessment

Mission fit: Strong. The 172N is the canonical low-and-slow personal/training airplane. Your mission profile (weekend personal, occasional XC) is exactly its sweet spot. No retract, no high-performance endorsement required.

Insurance: Strong fit. As a 200-hour PP in a fixed-gear non-complex 172, you'll get standard insurance rates without the surcharges that affect retracts or high-performance airframes. Expect $1,200–$1,800/year for hull + liability at typical hull values.

Cross-border purchase considerations. This aircraft is US-registered (N-number) and would need to be imported to Canada and re-registered as a C-registration if you intend to base it in Saskatoon long-term. The import/export process involves:

Transport Canada inspection and certification (~$2K-5K including any compliance modifications)
GST (5%) + provincial sales tax payable on import (Saskatchewan PST does not apply to aircraft, but verify current rules)
Conversion of avionics and placards to Canadian requirements
Total import overhead typically runs 7-10% of purchase price plus 4-8 weeks of timeline

Budget realism: Tight but workable. The $119,000 asking price plus ~$10K of import costs plus a reasonable prebuy ($1.5K) plus reserve for the 2007 prop strike teardown verification (potentially $0 if documented, potentially $8K-15K if a teardown is required and not on file) puts you potentially over your $130K ceiling. We strongly recommend either (a) negotiating the price down based on the prop strike concern, or (b) asking the seller to provide engine logbook excerpts before further investment.

Saskatchewan-specific cost notes. Hangar in Saskatoon area: $250-$400/month for a tied-down hangar slot, $400-$700/month for individual T-hangar (limited availability — waitlists at major fields). Avgas $1.85-$2.25/litre at typical Saskatchewan FBOs. Annual inspection: $1,500-$2,500 for a 172N done at a Canadian AME shop, with major findings priced separately.

🟡 Yellow flag: budget likely insufficient absent successful price negotiation.

Total Cost of Ownership Estimate

📋 SECTION GUIDE

Annualized estimate based on aircraft type, region, and (if profile provided) hours/year.

Always present as a range, never a point estimate. False precision destroys credibility.

Components: insurance, hangar/tiedown by region, expected annual inspection range, fuel burn × hours × regional avgas, reserves for engine/prop overhaul, reserves for avionics.

Summary line: "$X to $Y per year for a typical owner flying [N] hours/year in [region]."

Include explicit disclaimer that real-world costs vary by maintenance practices, hangar arrangements, and unexpected discrepancies found at annual.

5-year projected cost (Saskatoon, 100 hours/year)

Cost component	Annual estimate (CAD)
Insurance (hull + liability)	$1,500 – $2,200
Hangar (T-hangar, Saskatoon)	$5,000 – $8,500
Annual inspection (clean year)	$1,500 – $2,500
Annual inspection findings reserve	$1,500 – $4,000
Fuel (100 hrs × 8.5 gph × $2.05/L × 3.785 L/gal)	$6,600
Oil and routine maintenance	$400 – $800
Engine overhaul reserve (toward eventual TBO)	$2,500 – $3,500
Avionics database subscriptions and ADS-B compliance maintenance	$300 – $700
Total per year	~$19,300 – $28,800

5-year total ownership cost projection (excluding purchase price): approximately CAD $96,500 – $144,000.

Costs vary significantly based on maintenance philosophy (owner-assist vs. shop-only), hangar availability (a tie-down saves ~$3K/year vs. a hangar but accelerates corrosion), and discrepancies discovered at annual. This estimate assumes typical private-owner usage with no major surprises. A single major surprise — engine cylinder replacement, avionics failure, gear-leg structural finding — can add $3K-$25K in any single year.

Top 5 Prebuy Inspection Focus Items

📋 SECTION GUIDE

Specific guidance for the buyer's A&P/IA mechanic performing the physical prebuy.

Type-specific (a Bonanza prebuy focuses on different items than a 172) and aircraft-specific (the report's findings drive these recommendations).

Tone: as if briefing the mechanic. Practical, specific, actionable.

Engine teardown verification. If logbook documentation of the 2007 prop strike teardown is incomplete or missing, recommend either a borescope inspection of all four cylinders, oil filter cut-and-inspect, and a compression check, OR re-pricing the deal to include the cost of a teardown ($8K-$15K typical).
Corrosion inspection — Gulf-Coast service history. Open inspection panels on the lower aft fuselage, wing carry-through, and tail cone. Inspect all control cable terminals for corrosion. Particular attention to skin lap joints in the belly. Verify drain holes are clear.
Seat-track AD compliance and physical condition. Inspect roller assemblies and track wear. Document compliance with AD 2011-10-09 within the past 100 hours of operation.
Fuel bladder condition and water-trap test. With fuel drained, inspect bladders for wrinkling, hardening, and delamination. Perform a careful water-sumping test sequence. If bladders are original, factor a 2-year replacement reserve into the offer ($3K-$5K).
Avionics functionality, ADS-B Out compliance, and database currency. Verify ADS-B Out is functional and compliant with current Canadian and US requirements. Check transponder Mode S compliance and altitude encoder calibration. Note panel configuration and database currency for any IFR-certified GPS units.

Source Citations

📋 SECTION GUIDE

Every factual claim in this report should cite its source. Concentrated at the bottom for clean reading, but inline link references throughout.

Cited sources: FAA Registry pull date, NTSB report numbers + URLs, AD numbers + Federal Register URLs, type-knowledge sources (AOPA, type clubs, Cessna Owner Organization, Savvy Aviation, named NTSB safety recommendation letters).

Cited so that buyers can verify and so that the report has the authority of public records, not the appearance of AI confabulation.

FAA Aircraft Registry, N-number inquiry: registry.faa.gov, retrieved [date]
Trade-A-Plane listing for N6778E (1978 Cessna 172N), retrieved [date]
NTSB Aviation Accident Database, search by N-number and serial number, retrieved [date]
FAA Federal Register, AD 2024-21-02 and AD 2026-04-11 (Lycoming connecting rod bushings)
FAA Federal Register, AD 2011-10-09 (Cessna 100 series seat track inspection)
FAA Federal Register, AD 96-12-22 (Lycoming O-320-H2AD oil pump driver gear)
NTSB Safety Recommendation A-87-71 through A-87-76 (Lycoming O-320 valve sticking)
Lycoming Service Bulletin SB-475 (engine teardown after propeller strike)
Cessna Owner Organization, Cessna 172 Airworthiness Directive Reference
Cessna Flyer Association, "Cessna 172 Models & Variants" reference
General Aviation News, "One engine, many questions" (H2AD configuration history), 2015

Disclaimer

📋 SECTION GUIDE

Always present, always last, always exactly the same.

Legally and ethically essential. Walkaround is a triage and intelligence tool, not a substitute for a physical pre-purchase inspection by a qualified mechanic.

Should also note that asking prices are not transaction prices and that final value depends on inspection findings.

No marketing voice in this section.

This report is an informational triage tool synthesizing publicly available registration, accident, and airworthiness records with type-specific reference knowledge. It is not a substitute for a physical pre-purchase inspection performed by a licensed A&P/IA mechanic. The findings here should be used to: (1) decide whether to invest in further inspection of this aircraft, (2) inform your conversations with the seller, and (3) brief your prebuy mechanic on areas of focus.

Asking prices reflect seller intent, not transaction prices. Real-world sale prices commonly fall 5–15% below asking. Final aircraft value depends on prebuy findings, logbook completeness, and current market conditions. Walkaround does not provide professional appraisal or financial advice.

Aircraft registration data is current as of the FAA Registry pull date noted in citations and may not reflect changes occurring after that date. Verify current registration status directly with the FAA before purchase.

Walkaround Report — generated [date] — walkaround.report

← Back to Walkaround