Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-21578 · Wings
Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes
This AD applies to Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-36-285, PA-36-300, and PA-36-375 airplanes, certificated in any category.
The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 79-01-03, which applied to certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Model PA-36-285 airplanes, and AD 83-20-03, which applied to Piper Models PA-36-285, PA-36-300, and PA-36-375 airplanes. AD 79-01-03 required repetitive inspections of the spar carry through assembly until replaced with a different part numbered spar carry through assembly. AD 83-20-03 established life limits for the wing spar structural components. This AD retains the requirements in AD 79-01-03 and AD 83-20-03 and requires the spar carry through assembly inspection from AD 79-01-03 for additional airplanes and adds life limits for certain wing structural components previously omitted from AD 83-20-03 for certain serial numbered airplanes. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
(1) For Models PA-36-285 and PA-36-300 airplanes, serial numbers 36-7360001 through 36-7560003, with a wing spar carry through assembly part number (P/N) 97370-00 installed, before the airplane accumulates a total of 2,000 hours time-in-service (TIS) or within 25 hours TIS after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 hours TIS, inspect the wing spar carry through assembly by following the Instructions, section 1, of Piper Service Bulletin No. 552A, dated August 3, 2018, (Piper SB No. 552A).
(2) If any damage is found during any inspection required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, before further flight, repair or replace the wing spar carry through assembly by following the Instructions, section 2, of Piper SB No. 552A.
(3) Replacing wing spar carry through assembly P/N 97370-00 with wing spar carry through assembly P/N 76824-02 terminates the repetitive inspections required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD.
Remove from service the wing structural components specified in paragraphs (h)(1) through (8) of this AD before the part accumulates the life limit hours TIS set forth in table 1 to paragraph (h) of this AD. If, on the effective date of this AD, the component will reach its life limit within 100 hours TIS or has already reached its life limit, remove the part from service within 100 hours TIS after the effective date of this AD.
(1) Remove from service wing attachment upper bolt P/N 77245-00 and replace with an unused (zero hours TIS) wing attachment upper bolt P/N 77245-00.
(2) Remove from service any wing carry through spar fitting P/Ns 97713-00, 97713-02, or 97713-03 and replace with an unused (zero hours TIS) wing carry through spar fitting P/N 97713-03.
Note 1 to paragraph (h)(2): Wing carry through spar fitting P/N 97713-03 is included as part of spar carry through assembly P/N 76824-02.
(3) Remove from service wing spar fitting P/N 97712-00 and replace with an unused (zero hours TIS) wing spar fitting P/N 97712-00 by following steps D(1)(a) through D(1)(c) or section D(2), in Piper Aircraft PA-36, Pawnee Brave Kit 764-393, Left Wing Main Spar Caps Replacement, dated June 9, 2012 (Piper Kit 764-393), or Piper Aircraft PA-36, Pawnee Brave Kit 764-394, Right Wing Main Spar Caps Replacement, dated June 9, 2012 (Piper Kit 764-394), as applicable.
Note 2 to paragraphs (h)(3): This note applies to paragraphs (h)(3) and (7) of this AD. Replacement parts for the left and right wing spar fittings P/N 97712-00 and the right, left, top, and bottom spar assemblies P/Ns 97701-00 and 97701-01 are included with Piper Kit 764-393 and Piper Kit 764-394.
(4) Remove from service spar carry through assembly P/N 97370-00 or 76824-02, as applicable, and replace with an unused (zero hours TIS) spar carry through assembly P/N 76824-02.
(5) Remove from service spar assembly P/Ns 97701-00 and 97701-01, Revision P or later revision, and replace with an unused (zero hours TIS) spar assembly by following the Instructions, sections B. and C., in Piper Kit 764-393 or Piper Kit 764-394, as applicable.
(6) Remove from service any spar carry through assembly P/N 76767-00 or P/N 76824-02 and replace with an unused (zero hours TIS) spar carry through assembly P/N 76824-02.
(7) Remove from service spar assemblies P/Ns 97701-00 and 97701-01, Revision N or earlier revision, and replace with an unused (zero hours TIS) left spar cap replacement kit P/N 764-393 and right spar cap replacement kit P/N 764-394 by following the Instructions, sections B. and C., in Piper Kit 764-393 or Piper Kit 764-394, as applicable.
(8) Remove from service wing attachment lower bolt P/N 77245-00 and replace with an unused (zero hours TIS) P/N 77245-00 bolt.
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
