AD/PA-42/18 - Elevator Upper Skin Cracking - CANCELLED

What this does: This document officially cancels a previous safety rule that required owners of specific Piper aircraft to inspect the elevator (the movable tail surface that controls up and down movement) for cracks.

What it used to require: The previous rule mandated inspections of the elevator upper skin on Piper PA-42 (Cheyenne III) aeroplanes according to Piper Service Bulletin 887. This had to happen either at the next scheduled maintenance check or within 100 flight hours after October 1988.

What happens now: As of 9 April 2009, the inspection requirement is cancelled and no longer mandatory.

Who is affected: Owners and operators of Piper PA-42 (Cheyenne III) series aeroplanes.

Why this matters: This removes a mandatory maintenance obligation, likely because the safety risk has been addressed through other means or the aircraft have aged out of the risk profile.