SAIB CE-04-14

SPECIAL

AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION

BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

No. CE-04-14 November 6, 2003 www.faa.gov - Search "SAIBs" This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts you, owners and operators of SOCATA Model TB 20 and TB 21 airplanes, serial numbers 1 to 2208, that SOCATA issued Service Bulletin (SB) No. SB 10-139, dated September 2003, titled “Main Landing Gear Hinged Strut.” In response, the French DGAC issued Airworthiness Directive 2003-390(A), dated October 15, 2003. The SB specifies that the main landing gear with hinged struts or lower half-legs may have incomplete bearing crimping. This also includes lower half-legs supplied as spares through September 15, 2003.

Background

We are aware of two cases reporting un-crimping of the plain bearing that connects the landing gear hinged strut to the landing gear leg. This condition could lead to excessive play in the connection and failure of the landing gear.

Recommendation

We recommend that you inspect, repair, or replace the affected structure or parts as stated in SOCATA SB 10-139, dated September 2003.

For Further Information Contact

Gunnar Berg, Aerospace Engineer, FAA Small Airplane Directorate, ACE-112, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; phone: (816)-329-4059, fax: (816)-329-4090;

email: gunnar.berg@faa.gov

For copies of the SB, contact EADS SOCATA, Direction des Services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; phone: 33 (0) 5 62.41.73.00; fax: 33 (0) 5 62.41.76.54; telex: 532 835 F.

Internet Connection

For Internet downloads of SOCATA SBs, go to http://www.socata.eads.net, highlight SUPPORT, click on ONLINE DOCS. Fill out first name, last name, country, and your email address, click on CONTINUE.

The SOCATA Users Group Organization: go to http://socata.org/, click on RESOURCES, select Online SB or SL Index, then select the SB or SL by make and model.