Commonwealth legislation

AD/PA-34/44 Amdt 1 - Main Landing Gear - Trunnion Housing

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Commonwealth

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legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

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This Airworthiness Directive requires owners/operators of specified Piper PA‑34 (Seneca) aeroplanes to inspect, treat (strip/prime/paint) and ultimately replace the main landing‑gear trunnion housings to detect and address cracks. Inspections use fluorescent dye‑penetrant and specified grinding/polishing steps; replacement with newly specified part numbers removes the AD requirements. Compliance schedules set initial and recurring inspection intervals and a deadline for replacement.

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Direct links to the current provisions in AD/PA-34/44 Amdt 1 - Main Landing Gear - Trunnion Housing.

AD/PA-34/44 Amdt 1 - Main Landing Gear - Trunnion Housing

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY

SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

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Piper PA-34 (Seneca) Series Aeroplanes

AD/PA-34/44

Amdt 1

Main Landing Gear - Trunnion Housing 1/97

Applicability:	Models	Serial Numbers
	PA-34-200	34-7250001 through 34-7450220
	PA-34-200T	34-7570001 through 34-8170092
	PA-34-220T	34-8133001 through 34-8233088 that are not equipped with trunnion housing assemblies, Piper part number 39486-802 (left) and 39486-803 (right) with embossed forging number 67924-2.

Requirement: 1. Clean and strip paint from the inspection area as defined in Sketch A and Sketch B of Piper SB 787B. Inspect for cracks using fluorescent dye penetrant per CAO

108.10. Perform a detailed visual inspection using a 10X glass for grinding or machining marks. Remove any marks detected with 180 grit aluminium oxide paper. Polish area with 600 grit or finer aluminium oxide paper. Treat with Alodine 1200 (or equivalent), prime with a chromate primer and finish paint to match existing scheme.

2. Clean and strip paint from the inspection area as defined in Sketch A and Sketch B of Piper SB 787B. Inspect for cracks using fluorescent dye penetrant per CAO

108.10. Prime with a chromate primer and finish paint to match existing scheme.

3. Replace main landing gear trunnion with new replacement part number components as defined in Piper SB 787B.

Note: FAA AD 94-13-11 refers.

Compliance: 1. Action in accordance with Requirement 1 before 500 hours time in service or within 50 hours time in service from 15 September 1994 whichever is the later.

2. Action in accordance with Requirement 2 at intervals not exceeding 100 hours time in service.

3. If the main landing gear trunnion hours cannot be determined the airframe hours may be substituted. Action in accordance with Requirement 3 before 2000 hours time in service, except that main landing gear trunnions that have exceeded 2000 hours time in service may remain in service until 2500 hours time in service provided:

Replacement parts have been ordered and are unavailable.

b. Repeat inspections are performed at 10 hour time in service intervals and no cracks are detected. In this instance the requirement to paint the trunnion between inspections may be deleted.

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY

SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

c. Replacement is completed within 5 hours time in service of the parts becoming available.

Replacement with new part number trunnion housings as listed in Piper SB 787B with embossed forging number 02599-2, cancels all requirements of this AD.

The compliance of the initial issue of this Directive remains unchanged. This Amendment is effective from 2 January 1997.

Background: Cracks have developed in the main landing gear trunnion housings on the aft side at the lower end of the fillet. Although Piper has made design changes to these components, cracks have still continued to occur.

This AD inspects existing components and replaces them with further improved components.

Amendment 1 is issued to re-format the Applicability part of this Directive by aligning with the related FAA AD, which includes additional information, while removing reference to the aircraft model name.

The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 15 September 1994.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 AD/PA-34/44 Amdt 1 - Main Landing Gear - Trunnion Housing

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY

SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

Piper PA-34 (Seneca) Series Aeroplanes

AD/PA-34/44

Amdt 1

Main Landing Gear - Trunnion Housing 1/97

Applicability:	Models	Serial Numbers
	PA-34-200	34-7250001 through 34-7450220
	PA-34-200T	34-7570001 through 34-8170092
	PA-34-220T	34-8133001 through 34-8233088 that are not equipped with trunnion housing assemblies, Piper part number 39486-802 (left) and 39486-803 (right) with embossed forging number 67924-2.

Requirement: 1. Clean and strip paint from the inspection area as defined in Sketch A and Sketch B of Piper SB 787B. Inspect for cracks using fluorescent dye penetrant per CAO

2. Clean and strip paint from the inspection area as defined in Sketch A and Sketch B of Piper SB 787B. Inspect for cracks using fluorescent dye penetrant per CAO

108.10. Prime with a chromate primer and finish paint to match existing scheme.

3. Replace main landing gear trunnion with new replacement part number components as defined in Piper SB 787B.

Note: FAA AD 94-13-11 refers.

Compliance: 1. Action in accordance with Requirement 1 before 500 hours time in service or within 50 hours time in service from 15 September 1994 whichever is the later.

2. Action in accordance with Requirement 2 at intervals not exceeding 100 hours time in service.

3. If the main landing gear trunnion hours cannot be determined the airframe hours may be substituted. Action in accordance with Requirement 3 before 2000 hours time in service, except that main landing gear trunnions that have exceeded 2000 hours time in service may remain in service until 2500 hours time in service provided:

Replacement parts have been ordered and are unavailable.

b. Repeat inspections are performed at 10 hour time in service intervals and no cracks are detected. In this instance the requirement to paint the trunnion between inspections may be deleted.