AD 61-16-06

61-16-06 PIPER: Amdt. 314 Part 507 Federal Register July 29, 1961. Applies to All PA- 24 and PA-24 "250" Aircraft Modified to Incorporate Brittain Wing Tip Fuel Tanks (Supplemental Type Certificates Nos. SA4-1235 and SA4-1351).

Compliance required within the next 150 hours' time in service after the effective date or at the next disassembly of fuel selector valves, whichever occurs first.

The fuel selector valve handles of aircraft equipped with Brittain wing tip fuel tanks can easily be reinstalled with incorrect indexing after the valves have been disassembled for servicing and lubrication. Incorrect indexing can cause serious fuel system malfunctioning and one accident resulting from this condition has been reported. To preclude future incorrect indexing of the fuel selector valve handles, the following must be accomplished:

(a) Remove any valve shafts with four flat sides at the handle end and replace with Brittain P/N 4018-15 shafts, or equivalent. The Brittain P/N 4018-15 shaft is identical to the original except that one of the four sides at the handle end has been modified to a convex shape.

(b) After reassembly and reinstallation of the selector valves, determine that the valve handles are properly indexed with respect to the selector valve placard.

(Brittain Aircraft Enterprises Service Letter No. 4000-1 dated April 26, 1961, covers this same subject.)

This directive effective August 31, 1961.