Flight Controls - Control Column Mounts - Inspection
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of Piper PA-46-350P, PA-46-500TP, and PA-46-600TP airplanes must inspect the left and right control column mounts for retaining rings and retaining compound before further flight. If the retaining ring is missing or retaining compound is absent, they must install the retaining ring and apply the compound as specified in Piper Service Bulletin No. 1409A. Compliance with this AD is required by December 19, 2023, and comments on the rule are accepted until January 29, 2024.
Summary
The Federal Aviation Administration's Airworthiness Directive 2023-25-02 is a final rule addressing certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. models PA-46-350P, PA-46-500TP, and PA-46-600TP. It mandates inspection of the left and right control column mounts to verify the installation of a retaining ring and the presence of retaining compound on the bearing. This directive aims to prevent potential loss of pitch and roll control caused by bearing separation in the control column mounts.
What changed
This new airworthiness directive introduces mandatory inspections of control column mounts on specified Piper PA-46 models to detect missing retaining rings or retaining compound. If deficiencies are found, the AD requires installing the retaining ring and applying retaining compound to secure the bearing. It is a newly adopted regulation prompted by a reported incident and subsequent investigation revealing a quality escape condition.
Why it matters
This AD is critical for aviation professionals because a missing retaining ring in the control column mount can lead to major failure of the aileron quadrant assembly, resulting in loss of pitch and roll control during flight. Operators and maintenance teams must address this unsafe condition promptly to ensure flight safety and regulatory compliance. Failure to comply could result in catastrophic control system failures affecting both pilot and copilot controls.
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New ADs and bulletins for Piper Aircraft PA-46 (Malibu), PA-46-350P, PA-46-500TP and PA-46-600TP, summarized like this page, every Monday.