Airworthiness Directives; The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA- 31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, and PA-31P-350 Airplanes

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This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to certain The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, and PA-31P-350 airplanes. The proposed AD would require installing access holes for the inspection of the elevator spar; inspecting the elevator ice protection boots for looseness and reinstalling or replacing the elevator ice protection boots if looseness is found. The proposed AD also requires repetitively inspecting the elevator spars for cracks, and replacing the elevators or elevator spar assemblies with parts of improved design either at a certain time period or when cracks are found, whichever occurs first. The proposed AD is the result of reports of cracks developing in the elevator spar inboard of the outboard hinge location on the affected airplanes. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of the elevator spar caused by fatigue cracking, which could result in reduced airplane controllability.