FAA Orders Thousands of Piper Aircraft to Receive Rudder Replacements

Agency has issued a final airworthiness directive for a specific series of the manufacturer's airplanes.

Friday, February 14, 2025 at 04:00 PM ET

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The FAA has issued a final airworthiness directive (AD) requiring the replacement of rudders on specific Piper series aircraft. [Credit: AVweb/Creative Commons, Share Alike 4.0]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD), effective March 20, requiring the replacement of rudders on specific Piper series aircraft due to failures caused by fatigue and corrosion in existing 1025 carbon steel rudder posts.
The AD mandates replacing the problematic components with more durable 4130N low-alloy steel rudders, a decision prompted by two nonfatal accidents involving rudder post failures.
Approximately 31,000 vintage Piper aircraft, including various high-wing models, will be affected, requiring compliance within the next 2-10 years to maintain airworthiness.
Aviation groups like AOPA and the Short Wing Piper Club opposed the AD due to concerns over cost and implementation, with the latter now developing an Alternative Means of Compliance (AMOC) to make compliance more affordable for owners.

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The FAA has issued a final airworthiness directive (AD) requiring the replacement of rudders on specific Piper series aircraft.

The AD, effective March 20, addresses safety concerns stemming from reports of rudder failures due to fatigue and corrosion in rudder posts made from 1025 carbon steel. Under the new requirements, these components must be replaced with more durable 4130N low-alloy steel rudders.