FAA SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS
Aviation Safety INFORMATION BULLETIN
SAIB: CE-17-08
SUBJ: Main Landing Gear – Drag Link Bolt Date: February 21, 2017
This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you, owners or operators of Piper
Aircraft Inc. (Piper) Models PA-23-150, PA-23-160, PA-23-235, and PA-23-250 airplanes about a
potential airworthiness concern regarding a failure of the main landing gear drag link bolt, which can
cause the main gear to collapse. Fatigue cracking can develop at the midpoint of the bolt shank,
which can result in bolt failure and subsequent main gear collapse.
At this time, this airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant AD action
under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Aviation Regulations (14CFR part 39).
Background
This SAIB is a result of an incident on a Piper Model PA-23-250 airplane where the right main
landing gear collapsed during landing. The investigation revealed that the right main landing gear
drag link center attach bolt had sheared in the center of the bolt shank due to fatigue.
Recommendations
We recommend that you incorporate Piper Service Bulletin No. 1299, dated January 6, 2017, which
recommends periodic replacement of main landing gear drag link bolt and the inspection of the
mating bushings.
For Further Information Contact
Hector Hernandez, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Central Region, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office,
1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone (404) 474-5587; fax (404) 474-5606; email:
[email protected].
For Related Service Information Contact
Piper Aircraft Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, Florida, 32960; website: http://www.piper.com/.
1
Please find attached a Foreign State of Design Advisory document, endorsed by EASA.
This advisory document is also online at http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/CE-17-08 .
Should you have any questions, please contact the Agency by e-mail at
[email protected] or by fax,
No.: +49 221 89990 9515.
Safety Information Section Email:
[email protected]
EASA Website
(Attachment is in Acrobat PDF format)
Postal: Postfach 10 12 53, 50452 Cologne, Germany
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