Is AD 2003-09-13 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

Yes — AD 2003-09-13 requires a repetitive inspection. Next-due depends on the aircraft's time in service.

Which aircraft does AD 2003-09-13 apply to?

AD 2003-09-13 applies to Piper — models PA-23-160, PA-23-235, PA-23-250, PA-E23-250, PA-23. Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

Airworthiness Directive 2003-09-13

recurring

Official AD 2003-09-13 · FR doc 03-11265 · 2003-05-09 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; the New Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-23, PA-23-160, PA-23-235, PA-23-250, and PA-E23-250 Airplanes

What this AD requires

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Models PA-23, PA-23-160, PA-23-235, PA-23-250, and PA-E23-250 airplanes that do not incorporate a certain design flap control torque tube or torque tube assembly. This AD requires you to repetitively inspect the flap control torque tube for cracks, corrosion, wear, or elongation of the attachment bolt holes (referred to as damage); and requires you to replace any damaged torque tube with either an improved design flap control torque tube or flap control torque tube assembly. The repetitive inspections will no longer be necessary when the improved design torque tube or torque tube assembly is installed. This AD is the result of several reports of damage found in the flap control torque tube on the affected airplanes. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect and correct damage to the flap control torque tube, which could result in failure of the flap operating system. If such failure occurred during landing or takeoff, then a split flap condition could occur with potential loss of control of the airplane.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 2003-09-13 applies to

MakesPiper

ModelsPA-23-160, PA-23-235, PA-23-250, PA-E23-250, PA-23

Whether AD 2003-09-13 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.

How AD compliance is recorded

A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:

Method of compliance — The specific action taken (inspected, replaced, modified) and to what revision.

Date — When the work was done.

Aircraft time — Total time in service / tach at compliance — how recurring next-due is computed.

Signature & certificate — The A&P/IA who returned it to service, with certificate number.

Is AD 2003-09-13 complied with on your aircraft?

Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.

Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)

Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.