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The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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American General Model AG-5B
Seatbelt Plate Installation
While replacing the rear passenger seatbelts, a technician discovered the reinforcement plate (P/N 5102330-6) had been installed on the forward side of the aft seat bulkhead under the seatbelt attach bracket. The -6 plate should have been installed on the aft side of the bulkhead in accordance with AGAG drawing 5102299. Furthermore, MS20364-1032 (thin sheer nut) was used to secure the AN3-5A retaining bolts. MS20365-1032 or MS21042-3 nuts should have been installed as indicated on the drawing….

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Beech Model 200 King Air
Rudder Boost Malfunction
During a rudder boost test, the right rudder pedal remained at full deflection, even with the engines at idle. When the system was turned off, both pedals returned to center. The rudder solenoid, p/n 717 was determined to be the culprit. The submitter stated if the system failed on final approach or during takeoff, the result could be devastating. Part total time: 1185.7 hours.

Cessna Model 150G
Windshield Departed In Flight
The pilot reported that a section of the windshield (P/N 0…

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Cessna Model T210M
Alternate Air Door Magnet
The engine alternate air door is held closed with a magnetic latch (P/N 1250938-8). The magnetic latch has two small plates bonded to the magnet that make contact with the alternate air door. One of the steel plates debonded due to age and vibration. The plate was ingested into the turbocharger. The turbo was destroyed causing a total loss of boost and a return landing. Metal from the turbo passed through the induction and oil systems causing major damage. The submitter stated they have found two other T21…

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Various Cessna single-engine pistons
KAP-140 Autopilots
A new Airworthiness Directive, AD 2004-15-19, supercedes AD 2003-24-13, which applies to certain Cessna Models 172R, 172S, 182S, 182T, T182T, 206H, and T206H airplanes equipped with a certain Honeywell KAP 140 autopilot computer system installed on the center instrument control panel near the throttle. The superceded AD (2003-24-13) requires, among other actions, installing an update to the operating software of certain KAP 140 autopilot computer systems. The new AD (2004-15-19) results from the…

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Various The New Piper Aircraft Models
Control Yoke Attachment
The FAA has published a new Airworthiness Directive (AD 2004-14-12) for certain models manufactured by The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper). The models affected are PA-28-161, PA-28-181, PA-28R-201, PA-32R-301 (HP), PA-32R-301T, PA-32-301FT, PA-32-301XTC, PA-34-220T, PA-44-180, PA-46-350P, and PA-46-500TP airplanes. According to the FAA, the screw used to attach the control wheel to the control column is too short in some installations and the nut-plate does not have adequate locking featu…

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Pilatus Aircraft Models PC-12 and PC-12/45
Flap Flexshafts
A new airworthiness directive (AD 2004-12-11) for all Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) Models PC-12 and PC-12/45 airplanes requires checking the airplane logbook to determine whether certain inboard and outboard flap flexshafts (part numbers 945.02.02.203 and/or 945.02.02.204) have been replaced with parts of improved design. If not, operators must replace certain inboard and/or outboard flap flexshafts with the parts of improved design. The pilot is allowed to do the logbook check. If the pi…

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Southern California Propeller Service
Improper Repairs
The FAA is proposing a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Hartzell Propeller, Inc., McCauley Propeller Systems, and Sensenich Propeller Manufacturing Company, Inc. propellers returned to service by Southern California Propeller Service, of Inglewood, Calif. Comments on the proposed AD are due at the FAA by July 19, 2004.According to the FAA, inspections of various propeller models returned to service by Southern California Propeller Service have revealed safety-critical problems. These include…

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Lycoming IO-540 Engines
Crankshaft Gear Bolts
A new AD supercedes AD 2002-23-06 regarding certain zinc plated crankshaft gear retaining bolts installe d in Lycoming AEIO-540, IO-540, LTIO-540, and TIO-540 series engines. The AD retains the original requirement but expands the population of affected engines by 161. In addition, it AD adds five additional kits (alternative method of complia nce) for replacing the crankshaft gear retaining bolts.

Lancair 400
Fuel Pressure Transducer
AD 2004-06-09, Fuel Pressure Transducer Inspection,…

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Meridian Electronics
Piper Meridian turboprops experienced another bout of teething pains with a new airworthiness directive requiring electronic control modules to be replaced with new ones.The airworthiness directive comes on the heels of reports of smoke in the cockpit and a loss of electrical system function. The electronic control modules can short circuit, with internal electrical arcing. In characteristic FAA understatement, the agency says the combination of smoke and loss of function could lead to the inability to properly control the airplane…

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Sparring Over Spars
The FAA has reopened public input for a pair of proposed airworthiness directives aimed at preventing wing spar failure in Cessna 401, 402, 411 and 414 series airplanes.The proposed ADs would require repetitive inspections on the wing spar caps and to incorporate a spar strap modification on each wing spar of certain airplanes. Owners groups are concerned that the cost of the required repairs will be economically unviable.The FAA plans to hear public comments in early March to debate the issue and to explore alternative solutions…