Airworthiness Directives; Fairchild Aircraft, Inc. SA226 and SA227 Series Airplanes

This amendment supersedes Airworthiness Directive (AD) 97-23- 01, which currently requires the following on Fairchild Aircraft, Inc. (Fairchild Aircraft) SA226 and SA227 series airplanes that are equipped with a certain Simmonds-Precision pitch trim actuator or a certain Barber-Colman pitch trim actuator: repetitively measuring the freeplay of the pitch trim actuator and repetitively inspecting the actuator for rod slippage; immediately replacing any actuator if certain freeplay limitations are exceeded or rod slippage is evident; and eventually replacing the actuator regardless of the inspection results. This AD retains the actions of AD 97-23-01, and adds these requirements on airplanes with different design pitch trim actuators installed. This AD is the result of the manufacturer developing different design pitch trim actuators and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determining that these actuators should be subject to the actions of AD 97-23-01. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect excessive freeplay or rod slippage in the pitch trim actuator, which, if not detected and corrected, could result in pitch trim actuator failure and possible loss of control of the airplane.