SAIB CE-06-60

SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

CE-06-60 August 11, 2006 http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/safety/alerts/SAIB This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you of an airworthiness concern for Socata Model TBM 700 airplanes, serial numbers 1 through 308 and 310.

Background

The Direction Générale de L'Aviation Civile (DGAC), which is the airworthiness authority for France, reports cracks found on the vertical stabilizer attachment fitting.

SOCATA issued Service Bulletin No. 70-104, dated Jun 03 Amdt. 1 August 04, which specifies inspections of the vertical stabilizer attachment fittings, bolts, and reinforcements for corrosion and cracks during the next 600-hour scheduled inspection and then every 1,200 hours or every second annual inspection.

The DGAC issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) F-2003-366 R1, dated November 24, 2004, to require the actions of the service bulleting on airplanes registered for operation in France.

Recommendation

We recommend that you do the actions of SOCATA SB No. 70-104, dated Jun 03 Amdt.1 August 04.

For Further Information Contact

Gunnar Berg, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, ACE-112, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106. Telephone: (816)-329-4059, Fax:

(816)-329-4090.

You may obtain copies of SOCATA SB 70-104, dated Jun 03 Amdt.1 August 04, from EADS SOCATA, Direction des Services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; phone: 33-5-62-41-73-00; fax:

33-5-62-41-76-54; web address:

http://www.socata.eads.net/

SOCATA AIRCRAFT, Inc., North Perry Airport, 7501 South Airport Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33023; phone: (954) 893-1400, fax: (954) 964- 4141.

Internet Connection

For Internet downloads, of the SOCATA SB go to http://www.socata.eads.net and highlight SUPPORT then click ONLINE DOCS. Fill out first name, last name, country, and your E-mail address, and then click CONTINUE.

For information on the SOCATA Users Group Organization, go to http://socata.org/ and click on RESOURCES. Select Online SB or SL Index from there select the SB or SL that you need for your make and model airplane.