Airworthiness Directives; Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and SA227 Series Airplanes

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and SA227 series airplanes that do not have a certain elevator torque tube installed. This action requires drilling inspection access holes in the elevator torque tube arm, inspecting the elevator torque tube for corrosion, replacing any corroded elevator torque tube, and applying a corrosion preventive compound. Several reports of corrosion found in the elevator torque tube area on the affected airplanes prompted this action. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of the flight control system caused by a corroded elevator torque tube, which could result in loss of control of the airplane.