AD/PA-23/45 Amdt 1 Engine Control Support Bracket Assembly Inspection (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/PA-23/45 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Piper PA-23 (Apache and Aztec) Series Aeroplanes

AD/PA-23/45 Amdt 1 Engine Control Support
Bracket Assembly - Inspection 2/2009

Applicability:

Models PA-23 and PA-23-160 with S/Nos. 23-1 and up; and model PA-23-250 with S/Nos. 27-1 to 27-140.

Requirement:

Visually inspect engine control cable support bracket Piper part number 17892-00 for cracks, distortion and security of attachment in accordance with Piper SB No. 335A.

Note:  USA AD 71-12-01 refers.

Compliance:

At each scheduled inspection for issue of a maintenance release until an improved bracket Piper part number 16975-00 or equivalent is installed.

Compliance with the original issue of this AD constitutes compliance with this amendment.

This Amendment becomes effective on 12 February 2009.

Background:

The original issue of this AD in 1971 specified Piper SB No. 335 and made no provision for termination of the periodic inspections.  For PA-23 and PA-23-160 it specified serial numbers up to 23-1870 only.

Amendment 1 refers to USA AD 71-12-01, specifies Piper SB No. 335A, specifies all serial numbers for PA-23 and PA-23-160, and makes provision for termination of inspections after installation of an improved bracket.  Reference to aircraft with less than 2000 hours total time in service has been omitted.  Compliance period has been changed from 100 hours to each maintenance release inspection.

James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

23 December 2008