# AD 79-12-02: Elevator Surface Travel - Type: Airworthiness directive - Status: Current - Products: Piper PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, PA-31P, PA-31T and PA-31T1 - Effective: July 2, 1979 - Published: June 25, 1979 - Issued: June 13, 1979 - Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD - Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane - Amendment: 39-3501 - Registered aircraft: 756 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs) - FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/C380E0D84345B53686256E120055A6D6.0001 - DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/79-12-02 ## The airworthiness directive 79-12-02 PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION: Amendment 39-3484 as amended by Amendment 39-3501. Applies to the following Model PA-31 series airplanes, certificated in all categories: PA-31; PA-31-300; PA-31-325, S/N 31-5 through 31-7912049 inclusive; PA-31-350, S/N 31-5001 through 31-7952091 inclusive; PA-31P, S/N 31P-1 and up; PA-31T, S/N 31T-7400002 through 31T-7920060 inclusive; and PA-31T1, S/N 31T-7804001 through 31T-7904031 inclusive. Compliance required within the next 25 hours' time in service after the effective date of this AD,unless already accomplished. To prevent the possible restriction of elevator surface travel, accomplish the following: a. Remove the upper and lower tail cone halves and gain access to the elevator hinge assembly (Piper P/N 40249-00, 45253-00, or 45253-03 as applicable). b. Inspect the elevator stop bolts (Piper P/N 419 991) and lock nuts (Piper P/N 404 224) for signs of looseness or damage, or evidence of movement. Repair or replace,as necessary, in accordance with the airplane service manual. c. Verify proper elevator travel in accordance with Section 5 of the airplane service manual. Elevator surface travel limits are also given in the airplane Type Certificate Data Sheet. d. Torque elevator stop bolt lock nuts to 20-25 inch/pounds, and recheck elevator surface travel. e. Paint or install a slip stripe or torque seal on lock nuts and stop bolts. f. Reinstall tail cone. g. If above inspections find any indications of loose or damaged stop bolts and/or lock nuts, or if elevator surface travel does not meet specification surface travel limits, report findings within 10 days to Chief, Engineering and Manufacturing Branch, FAA, Southern Region, P.O. Box 20636, Atlanta, Georgia 30320, also giving the airplane serial number, the owner/operator of the airplane, and the person and/or facility conducting the inspection. (Reporting approved by the Office of Management and Budget under OMB No. 04-R0174.) Piper Service Bulletin No. 649 also pertains to this subject. Compliance with the provisions of this AD may be accomplished in an equivalent manner approved by the Chief, Engineering and Manufacturing Branch, FAA, Southern Region. Amendment 39-3484 was effective June 14, 1979. This amendment 39-3501 is effective July 2, 1979. ## Affected data sheets (2) (OpenAirDocs) The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names. - [TCDS A20SO](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A20SO): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 4 of 4 models: PA-31, PA-31-325, PA-31-300, PA-31-350 - [TCDS A8EA](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A8EA): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 3 of 6 models: PA-31T, PA-31T1, PA-31P ## 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: 756 (756 by airframe model, 0 by engine model) - Makers: Piper 756 Models with the most aircraft: - [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350): 399 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-31-325](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-325): 137 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-31T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31t): 87 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-31T1](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31t1): 64 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-31P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31p): 40 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-31](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31): 26 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-31-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-300): 3 aircraft (airframe model) All 7 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/79-12-02/models.md Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/79-12-02/aircraft.md Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.