# AD 81-10-01: Nose Cone Spars

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: Piper PA-44-180
- Effective: April 30, 1981
- Published: May 4, 1981
- Issued: April 22, 1981
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane
- Amendment: 39-4095
- Registered aircraft: 562 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/4BEC22D7544717E0862569A6005CDCCC.0001
- DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/81-10-01

## The airworthiness directive

81-10-01 PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION: Amendment 39-4095. Model PA-44-180 (Seminole), serial numbers 44-7995001 through 44-8095021, airplanes certificated in all categories.

Compliance required as indicated, unless already accomplished.

To prevent cracks in the nose cone spars which could result in malfunction of the nose landing gear, accomplish the following:

a. Within the next 50 hours time in service after the effective date of this AD, visually inspect the nose cone spars for cracks, in accordance with the instructions contained in Part I of Piper Aircraft Corporation Service Bulletin No. 695, dated September 10, 1980. If cracks are found, either modify as described in paragraph b below, or replace parts as required by Part I of the Piper Service Bulletin. The required inspection must be accomplished by a person authorized in accordance with FAR Part 43.

b. Within the next 100 hours time in service after the effective date of this AD, modify the nose conespars in accordance with Piper Kit P/N 764 080V unless already accomplished.

c. Make appropriate maintenance record entry.

An equivalent method of compliance may be accomplished if approved by the Chief, Engineering and Manufacturing Branch, FAA, Southern Region.

This amendment becomes effective April 30, 1981.

## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS A19SO](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A19SO): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 1 of 2 models: PA-44-180

## 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: 562 (562 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Piper 558, New Piper 4

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Piper PA-44-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180): 558 aircraft (airframe model)
- [New Piper PA-44-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/new-piper-pa-44-180): 4 aircraft (airframe model)

All 3 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/81-10-01/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/81-10-01/aircraft.md

Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs.

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