It was not.

Rumours I heard was that the aircraft hadn't flown for quite some time, and it was being ferried for maintenance. It apparently had a permit to fly.

The strut bolt could have been removed a long time ago.

In either case it's a despicable act, and the person responsible deserves to be locked up for a long time. Obviously they would have had knowledge of what the consequences would have been if the aircraft did got airborne. It's sad to know that there are such people out there who do these acts of sabotage, especially to aircraft.

Empty your mail box a bit Ratsore, I tried sending you a PM but it bounced back.

CASA permit I believe, not sure what the process is to get a permit to fly from CASA is.
The info I received was rumour and at least 3rd hand, so it may not be exactly correct.

As the pilot I check 4 of my wing bolts before the first flight and the remaining 4 that I can't see,
I use a wiggle test. Would be interested to know if this would have shown up with a wiggle test.

I have now cleaned my inbox a bit!

Getting a permit to fly wasn't terribly difficult when I wanted one for me. I don't know anything about the background of the plane and flight, just what I've said here.

I don't think this is something that would be picked up in a preflight. I wiggle the wings of any aircraft I fly to shake any water in the fuel to encourage it to make its was to the sump for draining, but the lack of a bolt, i suspect, would go un-noticed as it sits in a slight recess, so a rocking of the wings wouldn't I think, dislodge it.

Nasty business, that, no matter which way you slice it. Even happier now with my low wing Piper, I think I'll notice pretty early if someone has unglued my wings!

If sitting long. A good, very good fuel drain is good (mandatory) shake wings is part of it.

CASA permit requires a LAME to say is good to fly and all AD's need to be done. Also any requested things from CASA.

So with new information - Bolt removed to service other aircraft OR to cause death. Even if in a hangar, why put cuff back on and nothing holding wing up/on? Very dangerous and stupid to do.

Interesting nothing reported on this.

Wiggle test? That's a new one....

Being an engineer in a past life, I don't do any wiggling before flight (appart from having a nervous one in the toilet b4 I piss in the pots or light the fires). Although if it's a light aircraft I do seriously shake and pull the hell out of everything attached to the airframe that's susseptable to failure.

I assume the wing had fuel in it, wouldn't the weight of the wing and fuel collapsed the strut if the bolt was removed? Maybe the fairing and screws carried the weight??? Very interesting.

Cessna quick drains (extra ones too if fitted from memory) 3 axis shake, L/H and R/H wing and Tail up and down.

It is FAR from new. Think FM refers to the bulletin or was AD and required FM or a placard to be attached. Very detailed fuel drain procedure that I have never seen done, other than a LAME.