Back in June we wrote a piece about "The Usual Suspects – ADs that are omitted, missed, and misunderstood". We received an influx of comments which prompted a new “batch” of seven new ADs we are adding to the lineup, putting our current list at 20 ADs that repeatedly slip through the cracks—missed in inspections, misinterpreted in logbooks, or omitted entirely due to oversight or confusion.
Here is our summary of the missing 7 ADs and the issues surrounding them.
This AD affects the Air Tractor's flap actuator attachment bracket, which was found to crack and detach from the torque tube. The AD requires a visual inspection every 345 hours TIS and a dye penetrant inspection every 900 hours.
Busy operators of Air Tractors, typically in aerial firefighting or agriculture operations, may not be able to afford the time to down an aircraft to send the torque tube out for dye penetrant inspection. "Ag Operators ain't got time to due NDT inspections!" was a common reaction. We learned hours calcs for this were also wonky, given the mulitple times to track.
Making things worse, replacing a flap torque tube is not a terminating action - the AD is recurring.
This AD affects over 41,000 aircraft having spot-welded, multi-segment v-band couplings attaching the exhaust tailpipe to the turbocharger exhaust outlet. Since 1974, over TWENTY ADs have been issued and 10 SAIBs. In spite of all these safety efforts, failures continue.
While this AD established a 500 hour TIS life-limit and recurring visual inspection (every 12 months) to all turbocharged, reciprocating engine-powered airplanes, some still continue to believe this is an "on condition" inspection.
The AD is confusing in allowing an initial 2-year inspection as an alternative to first removal, while also giving credit for compliances done as per prior AD releases. To make matters worse, it is getting harder to source V-band clamps. We heard up to 1-year lead times from RAM, while Continental can get you these if you claim "AOG" status.
Recently, Continental worked hard with the FAA to release a Global AMOC, available on our site here.
This AD affects over 14,500 Cessnas where wing deformation could result from cracks in the lower doorpost bulkhead near the wing strut support fitting. This AD was prompted by cracks found on some high-time 207s, although we heard that low-time 182s in windy areas were also found to have issues.
This is a difficult and costly inspection: you need to remove the carpet, trim, and get inside to clean the bulkhead and inspect for cracks. If that wasn't enough, it's a recurring inspection - every 36 months of 1,000 hours TIS until you install the kit, (which some told us doesn't always fit perfectly!).
It's not exactly a new AD, since the service bulletin incorporated by reference is over 30 years old, but as the fleet continues to age, these corrosion checks are going to become more commonplace.
This AD affects over 3,500 Cherokee 235s and Cherokee 6's (PA-32-300s) with a poorly designed fuel drain in the center of the airplane with a fuel lever door cover that can be inadvertently kicked open by unsuspecting passengers. "Who the hell decided to put this there?!" one mechanic told us.
This is a recurring inspection (every 100 hours TIS) until you replace the original drain cover door. Although the recurring inspection is to check that it's working correctly - is this being documented properly? Some owners regard this AD as a nuisance, although on the flip side the pilot can accomplish the inspection and record it in the maintenance records.
This AD affects over 6,500 Twin Cessnas and when the AD came out, received a tremendous amount of backlash (over 350 submissions to the FAA!). This AD comes with a complex compliance table for initial and repetitive inspections. Recurring visual inspections are accomplished every 50 hours or 30 days, and every 12 months tailpipes must be removed and inspected.
There was so much confusion regarding the 2500 TIS life-limit on the "exhaust system" that the FAA issued an SAIB (SAIB CE-04-22) to clarify that each component can get to 2500 hours TIS, not the system itself. Thus, you should track every individual piece if you can (i.e., elbow, y-pipe, etc.) to get the most life out of your system.
This AD affects over 30,000 aircraft, addressing fatigue loading and corrosion of rudder posts made from 1025 carbon steel.
Several years ago, the NTSB issued an Aviation Investigation Report (AIR) on this specific issue, outlining their analysis of the bending stress and structural issues related to the piper rudder posts. When the AD came out, the backlash was intense - with over 350 commenters lambasting the report and taking issue with broad application of the AD without sufficient data.
That being said, over 80% of the affected aircraft have rudder assemblies with 4130N low-alloy steel installed, so the ACTUAL impact is closer to 6,000 aircraft. Even so, the replacement schedule is between 2-10 years depending on beacon and engine power combinations.
This AD affects over 16,000 engines and addresses the engine connecting rod assemblies, which were failing due to the degradation of connecting rod small end bushings. They found that this degradation could be detected during oil change inspections via the presence of "bronze metal particulates".
Unfortunately, the AD and the SB language regarding guidance on size of particulates (specs, chips, and chunks) is inconsistent. To make matters worse, the AD provides a table of potentially affected engines that left the Lycoming factory with affected parts but overhauled engines you may not exactly know.
Although the pilot can perform the inspection at the oil change, the inspection of the oil filter, the oil pressure screen AND the oil suction screen all must be performed and the proper maintenance record must be made as per 43.9 and 91.417a2v.
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