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A cotter pin is about the humblest part on an airplane. It's a bent loop of soft wire that nobody thinks about until it's gone. On one Tecnam P2006T, the pin at the outboard aileron hinge apparently was gone, then the hinge pin it was meant to hold went too, and the left aileron partly came off the wing.
The Story: The P2006T is Tecnam's high-wing light twin, a common multi-engine trainer. This AD was prompted by a report of a partial detachment of the left aileron on a Tecnam Model P2006T. The initial investigation found that the outboard hinge pin was missing. Investigators determined the pin migrated out because of a missing or broken cotter pin, which allowed the outboard hinge halves to separate. By design, cotter pins are required at the ends of the hinge pins to retain them in position.
The problem showed up elsewhere, too. On two other airplanes, inspectors found broken and improperly installed cotter pins, as well as cracks in some aileron hinges. Left uncorrected, a missing hinge pin can lead to complete aileron detachment and potential loss of control. The AD mandates a one-time detailed visual inspection of the affected aileron hinges and cotter pins, followed by corrective action if discrepancies are found.
Tecnam issued SB 995-CS Ed. 1 on April 21, 2026. EASA made it mandatory with AD 2026-0124, issued July 1 and effective July 15, 2026. Tecnam then revised the SB twice: Rev. 1 on August 25 and Rev. 2 on September 18. The FAA issued AD 2026-19-06 (Amendment 39-23473) on September 21. It's a final rule adopted without prior notice and comment, effective October 13, 2026. The AD states the unsafe condition plainly: it "could lead to detachment of an aileron, possibly resulting in loss of control of the airplane."
Field Notes:
Who's affected: Tecnam P2006T, S/N 001 through 434 and S/N 442, an estimated 102 U.S.-registered airplanes. The P2006T NG is in the EASA AD but not the FAA's, because it has no FAA type certificate.
When: Within 25 flight hours or 30 days after October 13, 2026, whichever comes first. The AD's 30 days governs over the SB's "1 calendar month."
What to inspect: A one-time detailed visual inspection of the inboard and outboard hinges on both ailerons, plus the cotter pins at both ends of each hinge pin, per steps 4 and 5 of Tecnam SB 995-CS Ed. 1 Rev. 2. Look for:
Findings:
Paperwork: Inspections done under SB Rev. 0 or Rev. 1 before the effective date get credit. The AD doesn't require the SB's report to Tecnam. The FAA calls this an interim action. Comments are due November 12, 2026 (Docket No. FAA-2026-11784).
Cost: The FAA estimates one work-hour ($85) per airplane, or $8,670 for the U.S. fleet. The SB says 0.5 man-hour. Cotter pin replacement is $86 per pin, and there's no FAA estimate for hinge repairs.
Why It Matters: At the center of this AD is a part that the FAA prices at one dollar, and the FAA itself calls the failure mode "a single-point failure with the potential for a catastrophic event." The P2006T spends much of its life in multi-engine training, with students, instructors, and a lot of flight hours. That's a lot of exposure for a small part that's easy to overlook.
Tecnam's SB notes that the aileron hinges are already part of the 100-hour/annual inspection under AMM ATA 05-20, yet it still called for a one-time detailed look. The SB's details, like prongs bent tightly around the pin, trimmed clear of the bracket, and checked through full aileron travel, explain why: a cotter pin can be present and still be wrong. The mandated inspection is a one-time event, but the lesson isn't. Any time an aileron is removed or a hinge is disturbed, the cotter pins that go back in deserve the same attention as any other part.
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