Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial
Air Traffic Control Military 22; Air Traffic Control Radar 22; Flight Crew Last 90 Days 0; Flight Crew Total 4983; Flight Crew Type 624
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Aircraft
Procedure; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
Our ZZZ municipal hanger houses six aircraft which must be manually moved to get aircraft in and out. I moved a single engine [aircraft] back and bumped its rudder into the right leading edge of a Cessna 172; causing a dimple in the Cessna leading edge aluminum. Thinking this to be a cosmetic touch-up repair; I called the Cessna owner and with his permission; repaired the damage. I used a small dab of Bondo to reach the deepest part of the dimple which would not pound out as did the rest of the small area of contact which was easily restored to original shape. The IA (mechanic with Inspection Authority) who performs annual inspections on the Cessna observed the repair and the Bondo and said nothing to me about the repair. Nine days ago; we met in the hanger; and the IA told me he would not sign off the annual for the Cessna because an unauthorized repairman (me; a pilot) performed an unauthorized and unsupervised repair of the leading edge of the Cessna utilizing an unauthorized substance for the repair. To me; this was just a cosmetic touch-up of a ding on a wing and nothing to do with airworthiness in any way. The IA said the authorization of the owner/pilot meant nothing. So; the Cessna owner has a pickle on his hands; an aircraft in current annual until the end of the month; with a fixed ding repair looking perfect and painted well; but who is now afraid to fly because of the IA's position and the possibility of being reported to the FAA. That made me start being nervous about being reported to the FAA for doing a 'good deed' (always punished it seems) thinking my repair had/has nothing to do with FAA regulations; but now the IA has made me see that this is one of those things that can't be done by a pilot unless he is an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic or IA. I regret trying to be a nice guy and make amends for my error in moving aircraft around the hanger. I wanted to do the right thing for the other pilot instead of getting insurance involved which I would pay for anyway in my large deductible; and why bother when the fix was so simple and straightforward. My mistake in thinking. I will never do such a thing again.
GA pilot reported performing an unauthorized repair on a Cessna wing.