SAIB CE-04-08 —

1 SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

No. CE-04-08 October 22, 2003 www.faa.gov - Search "SAIBs" This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

Introduction This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you, an owner or operator of SOCATA TB 20 and TB 21 airplanes, that SOCATA has issued Service Bulletin (SB) No. 10-133, dated October 2002, “Nose and Main Landing Gear Actuator.” The French DGAC has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2002-574(A), dated November 27, 2002, referencing SB 10-133. This SB specifies the following aircraft and discusses untimely extension of one of the nose or main landing gears as a result of a detachment of an actuating cylinder end fitting:

Models Serial Numbers 275-2130 2132-2136 2138-2154 2157-2162 TB 20 and TB 21 2170

Background Dissociation of one of the retraction actuator and fittings could occur and cause unwanted extension of the main or front landing gear.

The FAA issued an Airworthiness Concern Sheet, dated January 2, 2003, to AOPA. As of April 2, 2003, AOPA received no replies from owners or operators of SOCATA TB 20 and TB 21 airplanes.

Recommendation We are recommending, but not requiring, that owners and operators of SOCATA TB 20 and TB 21 airplanes, perform the application of tighten torque during the next 100 hours scheduled inspection as stated in SOCATA SB 10-133, unless already accomplished.

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: [email protected]

For copies of SOCATA SB 10-133, 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.

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

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.