{"id":"F2006B05701","name":"AD/PA-31/114 Amdt 3 - Main Landing Gear Forward Side Brace","slug":"ad-pa-31-114-amdt-3-main-landing-gear-forward-side-brace","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":135500,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B05701-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/PA-31/114 Amdt 3 - Main Landing Gear Forward Side Brace","content":"COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 \\- 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nPiper PA-31 Series Aeroplanes\n\nAD/PA-31/114\n\nAmdt 3\n\n  \nMain Landing Gear Forward Side Brace 9/96\n\nApplicability: PA-31 aircraft with models and serial numbers listed in Part I of Piper SB No 845A, except those aircraft fitted with improved landing gear forward side braces in accordance with Part II of Piper SB No 845A.\n\nRequirement: 1. Remove the main landing gear (MLG) forward side braces and inspect in accordance with Part I of Piper SB No 845A, except that the paint is to be removed from the entire component and the entire component is to be inspected in accordance with an approved fluorescent dye penetrant procedure.\n\n2. Replace both the left and right MLG side braces with parts of improved design, P/N 85165-02 (left) and P/N 85165-03 (right) or P/N 85166-02 (left) and 85166-03 (right), as applicable.\n\nNote 1: CAO 108.10 Appendix II constitutes an approved procedure for the purpose of this AD inspection.\n\nNote 2: Colour contrast (red dye) penetrant systems are not considered sufficiently sensitive to detect the type of cracking expected.\n\nNote 3: FAA AD 96-10-14 Amdt 39-9621 refers.\n\nCompliance: 1. Inspect the main landing gear forward side braces before 1000 hours component time in service, or before the issue of the next Maintenance Release after 4 March 1993, whichever occurs last. Repeat the inspection before the issue of each Maintenance Release and following any occasion on which the landing gear is operated at speeds above the maximum landing gear operating speed specified in the applicable aircraft Flight Manual; until Requirement 2 of this AD is accomplished.\n\n2. Unless already accomplished, within 1,200 hours time in service after 15 August 1996.\n\nThe compliance of the previous issue of this Directive remains unchanged. This Amendment is effective from 15 August 1996.\n\nBackground: Cracking has been experienced in the MLG forward side braces, failure of which could cause landing gear collapse. Amendment 2 required the removal of the side braces from the aircraft and a more sensitive inspection of the entire component. It followed the discovery, in several Australian aircraft, of fine fatigue cracking which could not be reliably detected with colour contrast penetrant systems. Cracking was also discovered in areas not covered by the Piper SB.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 \\- 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\nAmendment 3 is issued in response to a new Country of Origin AD, which requires incorporating both a left and right MLG forward side brace of improved design as terminating action for the repetitive inspection requirement. The Federal Aviation Administration's policy on ageing commuter class aircraft is to eliminate or, in certain instances, reduce the number of repetitive short interval inspections when improved parts or modifications are available.\n\nThe original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 31 October 1986.\n\nAmendment 1 of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 24 March 1988\\. Amendment 2 of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 4 March 1993.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Amendment 3 changes scope from requiring recurring enhanced inspections to requiring incorporation of improved-design left and right MLG forward side braces as the terminating action for those inspections. The instrument keeps the prior requirement for paint removal and fluorescent-penetrant inspection until replacement, but adds a compulsory replacement deadline (within 1,200 hours time in service after 15 August 1996) and specific terminating part numbers (Requirement 1–2; Compliance; \"Amendment 3 is issued...\")."},"complexity_factors":["Applicability constrained to models/serial numbers listed in Part I of Piper SB No 845A, with an exclusion for aircraft already fitted per Part II (Applicability) — requires cross-referencing the service bulletin to determine scope.","Inspection technical requirement: entire component must have paint removed and be inspected using an approved fluorescent dye penetrant procedure; red dye systems are inadequate (Requirement 1; Note 2).","Approved procedure cross-reference: CAO 108.10 Appendix II cited as acceptable for the inspection (Note 1) — operators must confirm procedural approval and availability.","Replacement mandate: both left and right MLG side braces must be replaced with exact part numbers P/N 85165-02/85165-03 or P/N 85166-02/85166-03 to terminate repetitive inspections (Requirement 2).","Compliance timing and ongoing triggers: initial inspection before 1,000 hours component time or next Maintenance Release after 4 March 1993 (whichever last), repeat before each Maintenance Release and after any overspeed event; replacement deadline within 1,200 hours after 15 Aug 1996 (Compliance).","Operational burden: removal of MLG for inspection and later replacement implies aircraft downtime, parts procurement and labour costs (Requirement 1–2).","Regulatory interplay: references FAA AD 96-10-14 and cites FAA ageing-aircraft policy as rationale for terminating action — coordination or divergence with foreign ADs may affect compliance strategy (Note 3; Background).","Traceability and recordkeeping: recurring inspections tied to Maintenance Release events and component time-in-service require diligent log-keeping to meet deadlines (Compliance)."],"plain_english_summary":"Mandates removal, full paint removal and fluorescent-dye penetrant inspection of the main landing‑gear forward side braces on specified Piper PA‑31 aircraft, and requires replacement of both left and right braces with specified improved-design parts as the terminating action. \n\nAffects owners/operators of the listed PA‑31 models because fine fatigue cracking was found that can lead to gear collapse; it sets recurring inspection triggers until replacement and requires replacement within 1,200 hours after 15 August 1996."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original 1986 directive appears to have required inspections only. Amendment 2 (1993) expanded the inspection scope to cover the entire component and mandated more sensitive testing methods after cracks were found in Australian aircraft. Amendment 3 (this version) significantly expanded the scope again by adding a mandatory replacement requirement with improved parts as 'terminating action' — shifting from ongoing monitoring to permanent remediation, following a new US Federal Aviation Administration directive."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple compliance pathways with 'whichever occurs last' timing logic","Cross-references to external documents: Piper SB No 845A (Parts I and II), CAO 108.10 Appendix II, and FAA AD 96-10-14","Nested applicability exceptions (applies to listed aircraft EXCEPT those already modified per Part II)","Specific part number requirements with left/right distinctions (4 different P/Ns)","Dual-phase compliance: repetitive inspections UNTIL terminating action (replacement) is completed","Amendment history tracking (original + 3 amendments with different effective dates referenced in background)"],"plain_english_summary":"This Airworthiness Directive mandates inspection with fluorescent dye and eventual replacement of the main landing gear forward side braces on certain Piper PA‑31 aircraft to fix fatigue cracks that standard methods miss. It affects owners/operators of the PA‑31s listed in Piper Service Bulletin 845A (except aircraft already fitted with the improved braces). The measure prevents undetected cracking that could cause landing‑gear collapse."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-114-amdt-3-main-landing-gear-forward-side-brace","history":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-114-amdt-3-main-landing-gear-forward-side-brace/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-114-amdt-3-main-landing-gear-forward-side-brace/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-114-amdt-3-main-landing-gear-forward-side-brace/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-114-amdt-3-main-landing-gear-forward-side-brace/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-114-amdt-3-main-landing-gear-forward-side-brace/documents"}}