# AD 79-17-05: Fuel Gauges and Engine Instruments

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: Piper PA-38-112
- Effective: August 22, 1979
- Published: August 20, 1979
- Issued: August 8, 1979
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane
- Amendment: 39-3531
- Registered aircraft: 442 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/BE1263F545BAD1D98625699E004AF4E3.0001
- DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/79-17-05

## The airworthiness directive

79-17-05 PIPER: Amendment 39-3531. Applies to Model PA-38-112 serial numbers 38-78A0002 thru 38-78A0027, 38-78A0029 thru 38-78A0037, 38-78A0039 thru 38-78A0041, 38-78A0043, 38-78A0045 thru 38-78A0064, 38-78A0066 thru 38-78A0072, and 38-78A0074 thru 38-78A0104.

Compliance required as indicated unless already accomplished.

a. To prevent the occurrence of insufficient or intermittent grounding of the fuel gauges and engine instrument cluster, accomplish the following:

Within the next 25 hours in service after the effective date of this AD, install ground wire harness assembly P/N 77960-400 and connect leads to instruments and terminal ground strip in accordance with Piper Service Bulletin No. 603, or an approved equivalent alteration.

Equivalent alterations must be approved by the Chief, Engineering and Manufacturing Branch, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Eastern Region.

b. Aircraft may be flown in accordance with 21.197 to a base where the modification required by this AD can be accomplished.

This amendment is effective August 22, 1979.

## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS A18SO](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A18SO): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 1 of 1 models: PA-38-112

## 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: 442 (442 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Piper 442

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112): 442 aircraft (airframe model)

All 1 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/79-17-05/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/79-17-05/aircraft.md

Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs.

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