Airworthiness Directive 06-3617
recurringAirworthiness Directives; Air Tractor, Inc. Models AT-400; AT-401, AT-401B, AT-402, AT-402A, and AT-402B Airplanes
What this AD requires
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Air Tractor, Inc. (Air Tractor) Models AT-400, AT-401, AT-401B, AT-402, AT-402A, and AT-402B airplanes. This AD requires you to lower the safe life for the wing lower spar cap for certain Models AT-402A and AT-402B airplanes and those that incorporate or have incorporated Marburger Enterprises, Inc. (Marburger) winglets. For Models AT-400, AT-401, AT-401B, AT-402, and certain AT-402A, airplanes, this AD requires you to repetitively inspect the wing lower spar cap in order to reach the safe life. We also developed an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) to the requirements of this Ad for certain Models AT- 402A and AT-402B airplanes. The AMOC includes repetitive eddy current inspections, modification of the center splice connection, and lower spar cap replacement. This AD is the result of reports of cracks in the \3/8\-inch bolt hole of the wing lower spar cap before reaching the approved safe life. We are issuing this AD to prevent fatigue cracks from occurring in the wing lower spar cap before the originally established safe life is reached. Fatigue cracks in the wing lower spar cap, if not detected and corrected, could result in wing separation and loss of control of the airplane.
Which aircraft AD 06-3617 applies to
certain
Whether AD 06-3617 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:
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.