# AD 71-18-03: Left Nose Wheel Door Hinge

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: Piper PA-23, PA-23-160, PA-23-235, PA-23-250 (Navy UO-1) and PA-E23-250 with STC SA598SW
- Effective: September 2, 1971
- Published: September 1, 1971
- Issued: August 20, 1971
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane
- Amendment: 39-1278
- Registered aircraft: 1,267 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/3ED59E2155CD82AF862569990050F21D.0001
- DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/71-18-03

## The airworthiness directive

71-18-03 PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION: Amdt. 39-1278. Applies to Piper PA- 23 series airplanes, modified by installing nose wheel well doors in accordance with Supplemental Type Certificate SA598SW, certificated in all categories.

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

To prevent interference between the left rear nose wheel door hinge and Piper P/N 17238-00 or -04 tube assembly, accomplish the following:

Replace existing left rear nose wheel well door hinge and hinge bracket parts with redesigned parts in accordance with J. W. Miller Aviation, Inc., Engineering Order B1 to Drawing 201, dated June 4, 1969, or with equivalent parts and methods approved by the Chief, Engineering and Manufacturing Branch, Southwest Region, Federal Aviation Administration, Fort Worth, Texas.

(NOTE: Copies of J. W. Miller Aviation, Inc., Engineering Order B1 to Drawing 201 may be obtained from the company at P.O. Box 16203, San Antonio, Texas 78216.)

This amendment becomes effective September 2, 1971.

## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS 1A10](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/1A10): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 5 of 6 models: PA-23-160, PA-23-235, PA-E23-250, PA-23-250 (Navy UO-1), PA-23

## 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: 1,267 (1,267 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Piper 1,267

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250): 894 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-23-160](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-160): 188 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-23](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23): 155 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-23-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-235): 25 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper PA-23-250 (6PCLM)](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250-6pclm): 5 aircraft (airframe model)

All 5 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/71-18-03/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/71-18-03/aircraft.md

## Related documents

- [STC SA598SW](https://openairdocs.org/stc/SA598SW): Installation of wheel well doors.. Apache Modification Aircraft Corporation, Named in the applicability

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