Piper Aircraft Issues Urgent Safety Bulletin for Rudder Cables on 67 M-Series Aircraft
Piper Aircraft has released an urgent Service Bulletin 1462. This bulletin mandates a one-time inspection of rudder control cables on 67 aircraft spanning four of its renowned PA-46-series models: the M350, M500, M600, and M700 Fury. The bulletin came into effect on October 1, 2026, following the identification of a potential issue where rudder drive cables might be incorrectly routed within the tailcone. This could lead to cable chafing or breakage, posing a significant risk to flight control integrity.
The fleet of impacted aircraft is distributed as follows:
- M350s: 12
- M500s: 8
- M600s: 4
- M700 Furys: 43
For newer aircraft that have not yet undergone their first annual inspection or reached 100 hours of service time, Piper mandates compliance within the next 25 flight hours. Owners are advised to have the inspection carried out at a Piper-approved service center. If any issues are discovered, they are instructed to directly contact Piper Customer Support for further guidance.
Piper has announced that it will offer factory participation for aircraft still under warranty at the time of compliance. The M700 Fury, Piper’s flagship single-engine turboprop introduced in 2024, constitutes the majority of the affected fleet. This bulletin highlights the critical role of manufacturers in proactively monitoring production quality and promptly alerting owners to potential safety issues.
Source: AVweb – Piper Calls For Rudder Cable Inspection