FAA Proposes New AD On Piper Wing Spars

The April 4, 2018, crash of a Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow V operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) continues to have repercussions. Most recently, the FAA has published a proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that would require inspecting each main wing spar of a wide range of Piper airplanes. The proposed AD is a response to the ERAU crash, which involved the inflight separation of the Piper Arrows left wing. Both aboard died and the airplane was destroyed.

Aviation Safety

Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

A fatal 2018 Piper Arrow crash, caused by metal fatigue in the left wing's main spar, prompted the FAA to propose an Airworthiness Directive (AD) for numerous Piper PA-28 and early PA-32 models.
The proposed AD mandates inspections based on "factored service hours" to detect and replace cracks in the lower main wing spar bolt holes, which were found to accelerate under high-load operating conditions.
Separately, the FAA issued new guidance (SAFO 18014) on identifying and manipulating trim and autopilot circuit breakers during emergencies, following several fatal accidents where pilots failed to disengage malfunctioning systems.

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The April 4, 2018, crash of a Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow V operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) continues to have repercussions. Most recently, the FAA has published a proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that would require inspecting each main wing spar of a wide range of Piper airplanes. The proposed AD is a response to the ERAU crash, which involved the inflight separation of the Piper Arrow’s left wing. Both aboard died and the airplane was destroyed.

During its investigation, the NTSB found “more than 80 percent of the lower spar cap and portions of the forward and aft spar web doublers exhibited fracture features consistent with metal fatigue. The fatigue features originated at or near the outboard forward wing spar attachment bolt hole.” The NTSB’s investigation included examining a second Piper Arrow, one that “had a similar number of total airframe hours and cycles and was used exclusively for flight training of students.” That examination revealed a crack at the left lower outboard forward wing spar attachment bolt hole similar to the accident airplane.