{"id":"F2006B08653","name":"AD/CON/77 - Piston Pin Plug Wear","slug":"ad-con-77-piston-pin-plug-wear","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":51724,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B08653-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/CON/77 - Piston Pin Plug Wear","content":"COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 \\- 106 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nTeledyne Continental Motors Piston Engines\n\nAD/CON/77 Piston Pin Plug Wear 10/97\n\nApplicability: Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) new and rebuilt model O-470 and IO-470 series engines with serial numbers as listed in Table 1 of TCM Critical Service Bulletin (CSB) No. CSB97-10; and\n\nTCM model E-165, E-185, E-225, O-470 and IO-470 series engines, regardless of serial number, which have cylinder(s) with a part number and purchase date as listed in Table 2 of TCM CSB No. CSB97-10.\n\nNote 1: Engines released prior to August 1996 and cylinders installed prior to August 1996 are not affected by the requirements of this directive.\n\nRequirement: To prevent extreme side loading of the piston, and subsequent failure of the piston and engine, inspect applicable engines in accordance with TCM CSB No. CSB97-10.\n\nNote 2: FAA Airworthiness Directive 97-15-01 refers.\n\nCompliance: Within 10 hours time in service from 11 September 1997.\n\nThis airworthiness directive becomes effective on 11 September 1997.\n\nBackground: This directive has been issued to require the inspection of certain cylinders for evidence of abnormal piston pin plug wear. The requirement follows advice of a number of engines fitted with cylinders treated with a manganese phosphate coating have exhibited evidence of accelerated wear of the aluminium piston pin plugs. If not detected by regular oil analysis or inspection, piston pin plug wear may result in an increase in oil consumption and possible piston pin and engine failure.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This AD maintains its original narrow scope. It addresses a specific manufacturing defect (manganese phosphate coating causing piston pin plug wear) in specific TCM engine models. The directive has not expanded beyond its original safety purpose of preventing piston and engine failure through mandatory inspection."},"complexity_factors":["Short, single-purpose directive with one primary requirement (inspection)","Limited applicability criteria based on engine model, serial numbers, and cylinder part numbers cross-referenced to an external manufacturer bulletin (TCM CSB97-10)","Single compliance deadline (10 hours time in service from effective date)","No nested exceptions or conditional logic — only one straightforward exemption (pre-August 1996 engines/cylinders)","References external documents (FAA AD 97-15-01 and TCM CSB97-10) for technical details rather than reproducing them","Minimal defined terms — relies on standard aviation terminology"],"plain_english_summary":"This CASA Airworthiness Directive requires mandatory inspections of certain Teledyne Continental Motors piston engines (notably O‑470 and IO‑470 series and specific E‑series) for abnormal wear of aluminium piston pin plugs caused by manganese phosphate‑coated cylinders. Affected owners/operators must inspect per TCM CSB97‑10 within 10 flight hours after 11 Sept 1997. Engines/cylinders released or installed before Aug 1996 are excluded. This mitigates risk of increased oil use, piston failure, and possible in‑flight engine loss."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope remains focused on inspecting specified TCM engines and cylinders for piston pin plug wear as set out in the directive. The instrument applies to engines/cylinders identified by model, serial number, part number and purchase date in the referenced TCM CSB, and expressly excludes items released or installed before August 1996; no expansion or narrowing beyond those criteria is stated in the source text."},"complexity_factors":["Applicability depends on specific engine models and serial numbers listed in external document: \"Table 1 of TCM Critical Service Bulletin (CSB) No. CSB97-10\" (source: Applicability).","Additional applicability based on cylinder part numbers and purchase dates in \"Table 2 of TCM CSB No. CSB97-10\" — reliance on an external bulletin increases implementation complexity (source: Applicability).","Exclusion for engines/cylinders released or installed prior to August 1996 creates a temporal carve‑out that must be verified by operators (source: Note 1).","Short compliance window: inspection mandated \"Within 10 hours time in service from 11 September 1997\" imposes immediate operational scheduling and potential downtime (source: Compliance).","Technical nature of the required inspection (to detect \"abnormal piston pin plug wear\" and to \"prevent extreme side loading\") requires qualified maintenance personnel and possibly non‑routine disassembly (source: Requirement & Background).","Cross‑reference to FAA Airworthiness Directive 97‑15‑01 and the TCM CSB creates multi‑jurisdictional/document reliance for interpretive guidance (source: Note 2 & Requirement)."],"plain_english_summary":"Requires inspection of specified Teledyne Continental Motors piston engines and cylinders for abnormal piston pin plug wear, carried out in accordance with TCM CSB No. CSB97-10 and completed within 10 hours time in service from 11 September 1997. Affects owners/operators of listed O‑470, IO‑470 and certain E‑series engines and cylinders (engines/cylinders released or installed before August 1996 are excluded). The measure aims to detect wear that can raise oil consumption and risk piston or engine failure."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-con-77-piston-pin-plug-wear","history":"/api/acts/ad-con-77-piston-pin-plug-wear/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-con-77-piston-pin-plug-wear/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-con-77-piston-pin-plug-wear/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-con-77-piston-pin-plug-wear/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-con-77-piston-pin-plug-wear/documents"}}