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Airworthiness Directive 98-08-18

recurring
Official AD 98-08-18 · FR doc 98-9750 · 1998-04-15 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA- 31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, and PA-31P Airplanes

What this AD requires

This amendment supersedes Airworthiness Directive (AD) 79-01- 04, which currently requires repetitively inspecting the elevator bungee spring for cracks or surface deformities on certain Piper Aircraft Corporation (known currently as The New Piper Aircraft, Inc.) Model PA-31-350 airplanes, and replacing any elevator bungee spring with cracks or surface deformities. This AD retains the repetitive inspection and replacement requirements from AD 79-01-04 on The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Model PA-31-350 airplanes until an elevator bungee spring of improved design is installed, and requires these repetitive inspection and replacement requirements on certain other Piper PA-31 and PA-31P series airplanes not affected by AD 79-01- 04. This AD also requires replacing the elevator bungee link with a link of improved design on all affected airplanes except for the Piper Model PA-31P airplanes, and repetitively replacing the elevator bungee spring on all affected airplanes. This AD results from reports of cracked elevator bungee springs on airplanes incorporating the older design elevator bungee spring that are not affected by AD 79-01-04, and by reports of cracked elevator bungee springs on airplanes that have improved design elevator bungee springs installed. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of the elevator bungee spring, which could result in a reduction in elevator control and consequent loss of control of the airplane.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect every 1000 hours. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 98-08-18 applies to

MakesThe New Piper Aircraft, Inc.
ModelsPA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, PA-31P
Part-conditional — 42377-02, 71086-03, 71056-02, 71056-03.

Supersedes AD 79-01-04. For airplanes with a Piper P/N 42377-02 elevator bungee spring with 900 hours TIS or less: within next 100 hours TIS after effective date and every 100 hours TIS thereafter, inspect the spring for cracks/surface deformities per Piper SB No. 626C (Feb 28, 1997), until replacement under paragraph (b) is done. If cracks/deformities found, replace the bungee link with P/N 71086-03 and the bungee spring with P/N 71056-02 or 71056-03 (or FAA-approved equivalents). Upon accumulating 1,000 hours TIS on a P/N 42377-02, 71056-02, or 71056-03 spring (or within next 100 hours TIS after effective date, whichever later), replace bungee link/spring similarly (further detail truncated). Piper SB 626C lists Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350; this AD extends the inspection procedures to Model PA-31P as well. Prevents failure of the elevator bungee spring, reducing elevator control.

Whether AD 98-08-18 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 98-08-18 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.