Summary
This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to certain SOCATA Groupe AEROSPATIALE (Socata) TBM 700 airplanes. The proposed action would require installing four rivets on the right side of the rudder and drilling drainage holes at the areas of the elevators and rudder. Reports of water accumulating in the areas of the elevators and rudder and a report of a bonding defect between theskin and rudder rear spar on the affected airplanes prompted the proposed action. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent the wing skin and the rear spar from becoming unbonded or water accumulating in either the elevators or rudder, which could result in loss of control of the airplane.