# AD 79-22-02: Fuel Leakage - Type: Airworthiness directive - Status: Current - Products: Piper PA-28-161, PA-28-181, PA-28-201T, PA-28-235, PA-28-236, PA-28R-201, PA-28R-201T, PA-28RT-201 and PA-28RT-201T - Effective: October 26, 1979 - Published: October 25, 1979 - Issued: October 12, 1979 - Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD - Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane - Amendment: 39-3595 - Registered aircraft: 7,661 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs) - FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/7B0A7B9D2EF4D4EB8625699E004AF93B.0001 - DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/79-22-02 ## The airworthiness directive 79-22-02 PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION: Amendment 39-3595. Applies to Model PA-28-161, serial numbers 28-7816024 through 28-7916475; Model PA-28-181, serial numbers 28-7890023 through 28-7990493, Model PA-28-201T, serial numbers 28-7921001 through 28-7921068; Model PA-28R-201, serial numbers 28R-7737135 through 28R-7837317; Model PA-28RT-201, serial numbers 28R-7918001 through 28R-7918172; Model PA-28R-201T, serial numbers 28R-7703309 through 28R-7803373; Model PA-28RT-201T, serial numbers 28R-7931001 through 28R-7931222; Model PA-28-235, serial numbers 28-7710079 through 28-7710089; and Model PA-28-236, serial numbers 28-7911001 through 28-7911204 airplanes certificated in all categories. Compliance required within the next 50 hours' time in service after the effective date of this AD unless already accomplished. To prevent possible fuel leakage and potential fire hazard, accomplish the following: a. De-fuel the aircraft in accordance with the Piper Service or Maintenance Manual, for the appropriate model aircraft. b. Remove the right hand and left hand fuel tanks in accordance with the Piper Service or Maintenance Manual for the appropriate model aircraft. c. Modify the fuel tank vent system in accordance with the instructions listed in the "Fuel Tank Vent Modification and Vent Hose Replacement" Kit, Piper part number 763 934V. d. Reinstall the fuel tanks in accordance with instruction in the appropriate Piper Service or Maintenance Manual. CAUTION Do not allow lines or hoses to rotate during installation and tightening when attaching the fuel lines to the tank fittings to prevent fuel flow obstruction due to hose twisting. e. Refuel the aircraft and check for leaks and fuel quantity gauge function. f. Make an appropriate maintenance record entry. g. An equivalent method of compliance may be approved by the Chief, Engineering and Manufacturing Branch, Federal Aviation Administration, Southern Region.NOTE: Piper Service Bulletin 646 pertains to this subject. This amendment is effective October 26, 1979. ## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs) The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names. - [TCDS 2A13](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/2A13): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 9 of 18 models: PA-28R-201, PA-28-201T, PA-28-236, PA-28R-201T, PA-28-161, PA-28RT-201, PA-28-181, PA-28-235… ## 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: 7,661 (7,661 by airframe model, 0 by engine model) - Makers: Piper 7,629, New Piper 31, Piper/Valdes-Ervin 1 Models with the most aircraft: - [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181): 3,549 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161): 1,526 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235): 859 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-28-236](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-236): 480 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-28R-201T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201t): 368 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-28R-201](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201): 352 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-28RT-201T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28rt-201t): 255 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-28RT-201](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28rt-201): 178 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper PA-28-201T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-201t): 62 aircraft (airframe model) - [New Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/new-piper-pa-28-181): 16 aircraft (airframe model) - [New Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/new-piper-pa-28-161): 15 aircraft (airframe model) - [Piper/Valdes-Ervin PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-valdes-ervin-pa-28-235): 1 aircraft (airframe model) All 15 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/79-22-02/models.md Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/79-22-02/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.