FAA proposes airworthiness directive on Piper wing spars
The FAA has proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) requiring the inspection for metal fatigue of main wing spars on numerous Piper PA–28 and PA–32 single-engine airplanes that have reached a certain factored time-in-service level; reporting the inspection results to the FAA; and replacing wing spars that fail the inspection.
The AD—which the FAA noted could be an interim action with further rulemaking possible—would apply to the listed PA–28 and PA–32-series airplanes that have either accumulated 5,000 or more “factored” hours time in service (TIS); have had either main wing spar replaced with a serviceable main wing spar (more than zero hours TIS); or have missing and/or incomplete maintenance records. An aircraft’s applicability status would have to be determined within 30 days of the AD’s effective date. Before further flight, a formula provided in the AD, tied to the number of 100-hour inspections completed, would be used to calculate the number of factored service hours for each main wing spar of an airplane to which the AD applies.
