Originally Posted by
Discorde
Have there been many instances of in-flight structural failure of older Cessna and Piper airframes due to corrosion?
As mentioned there have been a few in-flight structural failures to include various wing strut failures, however, in my experience the majority of severely corroded primary structures are usually found during other maintenance actions similar to the OPs situation. Where corrosion does directly cause more "flight" accidents/incidents with SE small aircraft is when it's related to internal engine components, airframe fuel systems, electrical connections, etc.