Two new proposed ADs came out in September from the FAA. The first one AD 2024-00008-A would require a review of airplane maintenance records to determine if an eddy current inspection of the lower main wing spar bolt holes was done, and depending on the result, doing a one-time eddy current inspection of the lower wing spar bolt holes for crack(s), and replacing any cracked main wing spar. Comments can be posted to the FAA by November 4, 2024.
Click Here to see the proposed AD.
A second proposed AD (AD 2024-00033-A) for certain Piper aircraft (PA-28 models and PA-32 models) would require using the calculated service hours (CSH), as opposed to the factored service hours (FSH), which was previously noted in AD 2020-26-16, for determining when an inspection is required of each main wing spar. This AD would require, “Calculating the CSH for each main wing spar; repetitively inspecting the lower main wing spar bolt holes for crack(s) and non-crack damage and taking corrective actions as needed; and replacing or modifying main wing spars at a specified time.” This AD also removes a few Piper models and adds a new airplane model. Comments can be posted to the FAA by November 7, 2024.
Click Here to see the proposed AD and affected models.
Piper is disputing the FAA approach to Cherokee wing spar issue:
Click here to read Piper’s letter to the U.S Department of Transportation.
Click here to read the letter Piper has sent to Piper owners.
