# AD 66-18-04: Baggage Door Latch

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: Piper PA-24-260 and PA-30
- Effective: August 10, 1966
- Published: July 26, 1966
- Issued: July 20, 1966
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane
- Amendment: 39-266
- Registered aircraft: 1,468 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/B7D32E2794D532D18625699700580AC6.0001
- DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/66-18-04

## The airworthiness directive

66-18-04 PIPER: Amdt. 39-266 Part 39 Federal Register July 26, 1966. Applies to Model PA-24-260 and PA-30 Airplanes, Serial Numbers 24-4247, 24-4300 through 24-4443, 24- 4445 through 24-4448, 24-4450 through 24-4452, 24-4454 through 24-4456, 24-4461, 24-4465, 24-4467, 24-4474, 24-4475, 30-853, 30-902 through 30-1087, 30-1089 through 30-1093, 30- 1095, 30-1096, 30-1098 through 30-1106, 30-1109, 30-1112, 30-1113, 30-1117, 30-1120, 30- 1127, and 30-1129 through 30-1137.

Compliance required within the next 10 hours' time in service after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.

To prevent inadvertent unlatching of the baggage door, accomplish the following:

  (a) Inspect the baggage door latch to ensure that the latch extends through the latch striker plate 1/4 inch +0, -1/16 inch, measured from the top of the striker plate.

  (b) If the latch does not extend 1/4 inch +0, -1/16 inch through the latch striker plate, before further flight accomplish the following, or an FAA-approved equivalent:

Replace the present latch striker plate retaining screws with AN 526-1032R14 screws and insert AN 960-10 washers between the door jamb and the latch striker plate, to obtain the 1/4 inch +0, -1/16 inch dimension. However, if more than three washers would be required, rework the door jamb to obtain the 1/4 inch +0, -1/16 inch dimension in an FAA-approved manner.

(Piper Service Letter No. 478, dated June 13, 1966, pertains to this subject).

This directive effective August 10, 1966.

## Affected data sheets (2) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS 1A15](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/1A15): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 1 of 4 models: PA-24-260
- [TCDS A1EA](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A1EA): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 1 of 3 models: PA-30

## Registered aircraft it may apply to (OpenAirDocs)

Matched by airframe and engine model; the AD's applicability may narrow it by serial number, part number or equipment.

- Aircraft: 1,468 (1,468 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Piper 1,468

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30): 878 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-24-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260): 590 aircraft (airframe model)

All 2 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/66-18-04/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/66-18-04/aircraft.md

Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs.

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