Piper orders rudder cable checks on 67 PA-46 aircraft

Piper Aircraft has issued a service bulletin calling for a one-time inspection of rudder control cables on certain PA-46-series aircraft. The cables may be routed incorrectly in the tailcone, the company said.

Service Bulletin 1462 takes effect Oct. 1. It lists 67 aircraft by serial number: 12 M350s, eight M500s, four M600s and 43 M700 Furys. Piper said incorrectly routed rudder drive cables can chafe or break. The inspection covers the rudder controls inside the tailcone.

Piper wants the check done within the next 25 flight hours for aircraft that have not yet had a first annual inspection or reached 100 hours in service.

Owners who find a problem during the inspection are told to contact Piper Customer Support for further instructions. Inspections are to be arranged through a service center the manufacturer has approved.

For aircraft still under warranty when the bulletin is complied with, factory support is available for up to 180 days from the Oct. 1 effective date, Piper said.

The M700 Fury joined the company's lineup in 2024 and has since been approved in a number of markets outside the United States.