Airworthiness Directives; The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. PA-31 Series Airplanes

This document adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. PA-31 series airplanes that are equipped with pneumatic deicing boots. This AD requires revising the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to include requirements for activation of the airframe pneumatic deicing boots. This AD is the result of reports of in-flight incidents and an accident that occurred in icing conditions where the airframe pneumatic deicing boots were not activated. The actions specified by this AD are intended to assure that flightcrews activate the pneumatic wing and tail deicing boots at the first signs of ice accumulation. This action will prevent reduced controllability of the aircraft due to adverse aerodynamic effects of ice adhering to the airplane prior to the first deicing cycle.