Piper Aircraft issued Service Bulletin 1357 on October 27 affecting PA-28 series aircraft. The bulletin was issued following discovery that wing ribs in some of the affected airplanes were fabricated in a way that could lead to cracks developing in the forward edge of the web. If not corrected, these cracks could cause structural failure of the wing.
The bulletin provides instructions for inspection of the ribs for cracks at wing station 106.19 and 123.15. The inspection will be done in two parts: initial visual inspection to determine rib configuration and a detailed inspection to inspect for cracks. If cracks are found, the rib(s) must be replaced prior to return to service.
The inspection should be completed at the next scheduled maintenance but should not exceed 100 hours time in service.
