AD 2008-26-11

Airworthiness directive · Stall vane heater · Piper PA-46-350P, PA-46-500TP and PA-46R-350T

Effective
January 28, 2009
Published
December 24, 2008 · 73 FR 78934–78935
Issued
December 16, 2008
Models
PA-46-350P, PA-46-500TP, PA-46R-350T
Data sheet
TCDSA25SO
Registered aircraft
1,192 matched by model
Product
Aircraft · Small airplane
Amendment
39-15777
Docket
FAA-2008-1085
Project
2008-CE-057-AD
Issued as
Final rule

Unofficial copy from the Federal Register XML, document E8-30406. Only the govinfo PDF is the legal edition. DRS record last changed November 21, 2025.

On this page

Summary

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Models PA-46-350P, PA-46R-350T, and PA-46-500TP airplanes. This AD requires you to install a stall warning heat control modification kit. This AD results from ice forming on the stall vane heater during flights into icing conditions with the landing gear down. We are issuing this AD to prevent ice from forming on the stall vane, which may result in failure of the stall warning system. This failure could result in the pilot being unaware of an approaching stall situation.

The airworthiness directive

2008-26-11 Piper Aircraft, Inc.: Amendment 39-15777; Docket No. FAA-2008-1085; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-057-AD.

(a) Effective Date

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(a) This AD becomes effective on January 28, 2009.

(b) Affected ADs

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(b) None.

(c) Applicability

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(c) This AD applies to the following airplane models and serial numbers that are certificated in any category:

ModelsSerial Nos.
PA-46-350P4622001 through 4622200 and 4636001 through 4636445.
PA-46R-350T4692001 through 4692054.
PA-46-500TP4697001 through 4697365.

(d) Unsafe Condition

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(d) This AD results from ice forming on the stall vane heater during flights into icing conditions with the landing gear down. We are issuing this AD to prevent ice from forming on the stall vane, which may result in failure of the stall warning system. This failure could result in the pilot being unaware of an approaching stall situation.

(e) Compliance

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(e) To address this problem, you must do the following, unless already done:

ActionsComplianceProcedures
Install Stall Warning Heat Control Modification Kit, Piper part number 88452-002Within the next 100 hours time-in-service after January 28, 2009 (the effective date of this AD)As specified in Piper Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 1192, dated September 15, 2008, following Drawing No. 88452, dated June 19, 2008.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

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(f) The Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to ATTN: John Lee, Aerospace Engineer, Federal Aviation Administration, Atlanta ACO, One Crown Center, 1895 Phoenix Blvd., Suite 450, Atlanta, Georgia 30349; telephone: (770) 994-6736; fax: (770) 703-6097. Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO.

(g) Material Incorporated by Reference

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(g) You must use Piper Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 1192, dated September 15, 2008, and Drawing No. 88452, dated June 19, 2008, to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.

(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of this service information under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.

(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32960; telephone: (772) 567-4361; fax: (772) 978-6573; Internet: http://www.newpiper.com/.

(3) You may review copies of the service information incorporated by reference for this AD at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the Central Region, call (816) 329-3768.

(4) You may also review copies of the service information incorporated by reference for this AD at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

Rule preamble

The FAA’s background, reasoning and cost estimate, published with the AD.

DatesPage 1

This AD becomes effective on January 28, 2009.

On January 28, 2009, the Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD.

AddressesPage 1

For service information identified in this AD, contact Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32960; telephone: (772) 567-4361; fax: (772) 978-6573; Internet: http://www.newpiper.com/.

To view the AD docket, go to U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. The docket number is FAA-2008-1085; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-057-AD.

For further information contactPage 1

John Lee, Aerospace Engineer, Federal Aviation Administration, Aircraft Certification Office, One Crown Center, 1895 Phoenix Blvd., Suite 450, Atlanta, Georgia 30349; telephone: (770) 994-6736; fax: (770) 703-6097.

DiscussionPage 1

On October 3, 2008, we issued a proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that would apply to certain Piper Models PA-46-350P, PA-46R-350T, and PA-46-500TP airplanes. This proposal was published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on October 10, 2008 (73 FR 60201). The NPRM proposed to require you to install a stall warning heat control modification kit.

CommentsPage 1

We provided the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the proposal or on the determination of the cost to the public.

ConclusionPage 1

We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed except for minor editorial corrections. We have determined that these minor corrections:

• Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and

• Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed in the NPRM.

Costs of CompliancePage 1

We estimate that this AD affects 803 airplanes in the U.S. registry.

We estimate the following costs to do the modification:

Labor costParts costTotal cost per airplaneTotal cost on U.S. operators
1.5 work-hours × $80 per hour = $120$95$215$172,645

Warranty credit may be given to the extent noted in the service bulletin.

Authority for This RulemakingPage 1

Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106 describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the agency's authority.

We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, section 44701, “General requirements.” Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this AD.

Regulatory findingsPage 2

We have determined that this AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will not have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:

1. Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866;

2. Is not a “significant rule” under the DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and

3. Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

We prepared a summary of the costs to comply with this AD (and other information as included in the Regulatory Evaluation) and placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by sending a request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include “Docket No. FAA-2008-1085; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-057-AD” in your request.

Adoption of the amendmentPage 2

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:

1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

2. FAA amends § 39.13 by adding the following new AD:

Affected TCDS · 1

The type certificate data sheets for the models this AD names, matched by model and maker.

Registered aircraft · 1,192

Registered aircraft whose airframe or engine model this AD names. Matched by model only, so check each against the AD’s applicability.

By aircraft maker
  • Piper1,140 aircraft
  • New Piper52 aircraft
By year built
19772026
Registered aircraft by year built: 1,100 aircraft
19771
19871
19881
198935
199013
19911
19922
19938
199412
199520
199633
199730
199825
199939
200056
200155
200229
200320
200426
200538
200649
200747
200899
200933
201040
201149
201247
201348
201451
201533
201624
20175
201819
201920
20207
202114
202211
202317
202418
202517
20267

92 with no year recorded

By model

Aircraft

See all 1,192 aircraft