{"id":"F2006L02834","name":"AD/PA-34/43 Amdt 2 - Nose Gear Upper Drag Link Bolt","slug":"ad-pa-34-43-amdt-2-nose-gear-upper-drag-link-bolt","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":60062,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006L02834-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Piper PA-34 (Seneca) Series Aeroplanes","sectionType":"division","heading":"Piper PA-34 (Seneca) Series Aeroplanes","content":"### Piper PA-34 (Seneca) Series Aeroplanes\n\n| AD/PA-34/43 Amdt 2 | Nose Gear Upper Drag Link Bolt | 10/2006 |\n| ------------------ | ------------------------------ | ------- |\n\n| Applicability: | Model PA-34 series.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |\n| -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement:   | 1. Replace the bolt and attached parts that connect the upper drag link to the nose gear trunnion with the following new parts in accordance with Figure 1 of this Directive:(a) Piper part number 400 274 (AN7-35) bolt.(b) Piper part number 407 591 (AN960-716L) washer, as applicable.(c) Piper part number 407 568 (AN960-716) washer, as applicable.(d) Piper part number 404 396 (AN320-7) nut; and(e) Piper part number 424 085 (MS24665) cotter pin.2. Carry out the inspections, replacements and other corrective actions specified in Table 1 “Scheduled Maintenance” of Piper Service Bulletin (SB) No. 1123B dated 20 April 2006 or later FAA approved revision.3. Do any necessary corrective actions as a result of the actions specified in Table 1 “Scheduled Maintenance” of Piper Service Bulletin No. 1123B or later FAA approved revision. |\n\n|     | Figure 1Note: FAA AD 2005-13-16 Amdt 39-14153 which supersedes FAA AD 93-24-14 Amdt 39-8762 refers. |\n| --- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n\n| Compliance: | 1. Remains unchanged for the initial inspection as: Within 100 hours time in service (TIS) after 3 March 1994, unless already accomplished within the last 400 hours time in service, thereafter at intervals not to exceed 500 hours time in service until the intervals actions detailed in Requirement 2 and 3 of this Directive begin.2. Within 100 hours TIS after the effective date of this Directive, unless already done and thereafter at intervals referenced in the Inspection Time column oftable 1 “Scheduled Maintenance” in Piper Service Bulletin No. 1123B or later FAA approved revision.3. Before further flight after any action is required by Requirement 2 of this Airworthiness Directive.                                                                                                                                                                                        |\n| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n|             | This Amendment becomes effective on 28 September 2006.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |\n| Background: | This Airworthiness Directive is the result of service difficulty reports related to the collapse or involuntary retraction of the nose landing gear (NLG). The actions specified in this Airworthiness Directive are intended to detect, correct, and prevent failure in certain components of the NLG, lack of cleanliness of the NLG due to inadequate maintenance, or lack of lubricant in the NLG or NLG components. This failure of the NLG could lead to loss of control of the airplane during take-off, landing, or taxiing operations.Amendment 1, effective 1 September 2005, introduced additional inspection requirements.This amendment updates the revision status of the Piper service bulletin and allows the use of later FAA approved revisions of this service bulletin when they become available.The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 3 March 1994. |\n\n![](image.002.png)  \nDavid Villiers  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n28 July 2006","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/PA-34/43 Amdt 2","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/PA-34/43 Amdt 2","content":"## AD/PA-34/43 Amdt 2","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Nose Gear Upper Drag Link Bolt","sectionType":"part","heading":"Nose Gear Upper Drag Link Bolt","content":"## Nose Gear Upper Drag Link Bolt","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"10/2006","sectionType":"part","heading":"10/2006","content":"## 10/2006","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The original 1994 AD required corrective action to address a specific nose‑gear hardware issue. Subsequent changes broadened the Directive into an ongoing maintenance regime: Amendment 1 added further inspection requirements (effective 1 September 2005), and this Amendment (Amdt 2) updates the referenced Piper service bulletin revision status and explicitly allows the use of later FAA‑approved revisions. In short, the instrument has moved from a one‑off retrofit/remedy to a recurring inspection and corrective programme with continued cross‑reference to evolving FAA/Piper guidance, increasing ongoing compliance scope and administrative dependency on later approved revisions."},"complexity_factors":["Three core mandatory requirements (replace specified hardware; perform inspections per Piper SB No.1123B; perform corrective actions as needed).","Multiple specific part numbers required for mandatory replacement (bolt, two possible washers, nut, cotter pin).","Cross‑references to external documents: Piper Service Bulletin No.1123B (Table 1), and FAA ADs (FAA AD 2005‑13‑16 superseding earlier FAA AD).","Conditional and time‑based compliance language (initial inspection within 100 TIS unless done within last 400 TIS; thereafter intervals not to exceed 500 TIS until new intervals commence; 100 TIS after this amendment's effective date).","Allowance for later FAA‑approved revisions of the service bulletin introduces dependency on future external approvals.","A \"before further flight\" requirement creates an unconditional operational stop if defects are found.","Reference to a Figure (Figure 1) that sets installation detail but is not reproduced here (cross‑document reliance)."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanically)\n\n- Requires owners/operators of Piper PA‑34 (Seneca) series aeroplanes to replace the bolt and related hardware that attach the nose‑gear upper drag link to the nose‑gear trunnion with specific Piper parts (see Requirement 1).  The required part numbers are listed in the Directive and must be fitted in accordance with the figure referenced (Requirement 1).  \n\n- Requires a program of inspections, replacements and corrective actions set out in Table 1 \"Scheduled Maintenance\" of Piper Service Bulletin (SB) No. 1123B (or a later FAA‑approved revision) (Requirement 2).  Any defects found during those inspections must be corrected before further flight (Requirement 3 and Compliance).  \n\n- Sets precise compliance times: an initial inspection within 100 hours time in service (TIS) after certain dates (with limited credit if recent work has already been done), recurring inspections at stated intervals (500 hours TIS in earlier wording), and a 100‑hour TIS deadline to start or comply after this amendment's effective date (see Compliance).  The Directive also permits use of later FAA‑approved revisions of the Piper service bulletin.  \n\n**Who this affects\n\n- Owners, operators and maintenance organisations responsible for Piper PA‑34 (Seneca) series aeroplanes.  \n- Maintenance providers who must source the specified replacement parts (bolt, washers, nut, cotter pin) and carry out the inspection and corrective work.  \n\n**Why it matters (stated safety purpose)\n\n- The Directive responds to reports of nose landing gear (NLG) collapse or involuntary retraction.  Its stated aim is to detect, correct and prevent failure of NLG components, contamination or lack of lubricant that could cause NLG malfunction.  NLG failure can lead to loss of control during take‑off, landing or taxiing (Background).  \n\n**Practical effects on behaviour, costs and decision‑making\n\n- Who pays: aircraft owners/operators pay for parts, labour and any downtime while the work is carried out.  \n- What owners must do: replace the specified parts if not already compliant; commence and continue the scheduled inspections and carry out any corrective actions before returning the aeroplane to flight.  \n- Sourcing and technical choices: the AD mandates specific Piper part numbers (Requirement 1) and cross‑references Piper SB No. 1123B; it also allows later FAA‑approved revisions of that SB (Requirement 2).  This constrains acceptable repairs to those that match the AD/SB or later FAA‑approved revisions.  \n- Operational impact: compliance may require aircraft downtime for inspections and part replacement. Failure to comply could lead to regulatory enforcement and limits on the aircraft's legal fitness to fly.  \n\n**Trade‑offs, incentives and implementation considerations\n\n- Safety vs. cost: the expected safety benefit (reduced NLG collapses) is concentrated — it primarily protects flights of the affected aircraft — while the direct costs (parts, labour, downtime) are borne by the operators.  \n- Compliance burden and discretion: the AD prescribes parts and inspection schedules, leaving limited technical discretion to maintainers other than following an FAA‑approved later SB revision if available.  \n- Enforcement and grounding risk: the requirement that corrective action be done \"before further flight\" (Compliance / Requirement 3) creates an immediate operational constraint if inspections reveal defects.  \n- Substitution effects: allowing later FAA‑approved revisions provides some flexibility in methods or intervals, but any change must be FAA‑approved; unapproved alternative repair methods are not authorised by the AD.  \n\n**Source claims vs. practical effects\n\n- The Directive states its purpose is to prevent NLG failures and cites service difficulty reports and FAA AD history (Background).  Mechanically, it achieves that by mandating specific replacement hardware and a recurring inspection/corrective regime.  The concrete implementation costs are borne by operators; the AD centralises safety decisions (which parts and what intervals) through the SB/FAA cross‑reference.  \n\n(Primary references in the Directive: Requirement 1–3; Compliance; Background.)"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original 1994 directive focused narrowly on replacing a single bolt and periodic inspections. Amendment 1 (2005) expanded this to include 'additional inspection requirements.' Amendment 2 (this version) further expands the scope by incorporating an updated service bulletin (1123B) and allowing future FAA-approved revisions, effectively delegating ongoing technical specification authority to the manufacturer and US regulator. The directive has evolved from a one-time hardware fix to an ongoing, dynamic maintenance regime."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple compliance deadlines depending on prior actions (100 hours time-in-service from different baseline dates)","Cross-reference to external Piper Service Bulletin No. 1123B and FAA AD 2005-13-16 for technical details","Conditional logic: 'unless already accomplished' clauses create branching compliance paths","Technical aviation terminology requiring specialised knowledge (TIS, trunnion, drag link, cotter pin specifications)","Amendment structure requires understanding of prior versions (Amendment 1, original issue 1994) to fully grasp current requirements","Specific part numbers listed (5 different components) with both Piper and AN/MS standard numbering systems"],"plain_english_summary":"This CASA Airworthiness Directive requires owners/operators of Piper PA‑34 Seneca aeroplanes to replace a critical nose‑landing‑gear bolt with approved parts and to carry out recurring inspections and corrective maintenance per the Piper service instructions. \n\nIt’s mandatory to prevent nose‑gear collapse during taxi, takeoff or landing — work must be performed by qualified maintenance engineers."},"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"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-pa-34-43-amdt-2-nose-gear-upper-drag-link-bolt","history":"/api/acts/ad-pa-34-43-amdt-2-nose-gear-upper-drag-link-bolt/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-pa-34-43-amdt-2-nose-gear-upper-drag-link-bolt/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-pa-34-43-amdt-2-nose-gear-upper-drag-link-bolt/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-pa-34-43-amdt-2-nose-gear-upper-drag-link-bolt/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-pa-34-43-amdt-2-nose-gear-upper-drag-link-bolt/documents"}}