SAIB CE-04-25 —

No. CE-04-25 December 4, 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 TBM 700 airplanes (serial numbers 1 to 9999), that SOCATA has issued Service Bulletin (SB) No. SB 70-104, titled “Inspection of the Vertical Stabilizer Attachment Fittings”, dated June 2003. The SB notifies you of cracks on the vertical stabilizer attachment fittings and states that corrosion is the root cause of these cracks.

Background

The French DGAC issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2003-366(A), dated October 1, 2003, referencing SB 70-104. SOCATA listed the SB as “Mandatory” for TBM 700 aircraft serial numbers 1 to 9999.

Recommendation

We aren’t issuing an AD at this time, but highly recommend that you accomplish the inspections per the required compliance time stated in the SB.

For Further Information Contact

Gunnar Berg, Aerospace Engineer, FAA Small Airplane Directorate, ACE-112, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106. Telephone: (816)-329-4059, Fax: (816)-329-4090; email: [email protected]

Contact SOCATA for copies of the SB at 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 SB go to http://www.socata.eads.net ;highlight SUPPORT; click on ONLINE DOCS; fill out first name, last name, country, and your e-mail address; 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.