SERVICE

Piper Aircraft, Inc. BULLETIN

2926 Piper Drive

Vero Beach, Florida, U.S.A. 32960

Date: December 16, 2014 (S) (M)

NO. 1266

ATA: 1130

(OVER)

PIPER CONSIDERS

COMPLIANCE MANDATORY

Service Bulletin (SB) 1266 supersedes and voids SB 456A, dated May 28, 1975. SB 456A had superseded SB 366, 

dated May 31, 1973; SB 371, dated November 7, 1972; SB 377, dated February 21, 1973; SB 378, dated May 22, 

1973; SB 388, dated June 27, 1973. 

All affected airplanes must comply with SB 1266, regardless of any history of compliance with prior service bulletins. 

Subject: FUEL WARNING PLACARD AND POH INSPECTION

Models Affected: Serial Numbers Affected:

PA-23-250 (Six Place) Aztec “B” 27-2322 through 27-2504, FUEL INJECTED ONLY

PA-23-250 (Six Place) and PA-E23-250 (Six Place) 

Aztec “C,” “D” and “E” 27-2505 through 27-4866, 

27-7304917 through 27-7405476

PA-24-250 Comanche 24-2563, 24-2844 through 24-3641, 

24-3643 through 24-3687, FUEL INJECTED ONLY

PA-24-260 Comanche 24-3642, 24-4000 through 24-4299, 

24-4300 through 24-4782, 24-4784 through 24-4803, 

FUEL INJECTED ONLY

PA-24-260 Comanche “C” 24-4783, 24-4804 through 24-5047

PA-24-400 Comanche 26-1 through 26-148

PA-30 Twin Comanche 30-1 through 30-2000

PA-31 and PA-31-300 Navajo 31-2 to 31-861, 31-7300901 through 31-7300923, 

31-7300925, 31-7300927, 31-7300929, 31-7300931

PA-31P Navajo 31P-1 through 31P-80, 

31P-7300110 through 31P-7300115

PA-39 Twin Comanche C/R 39-1 through 39-155

1
SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 1266 PAGE 2 of 9

REASON: Many of the superseded SBs required installation of a kit, and these kits are no 

longer available. This SB was created to provide all information necessary for 

compliance with the superseded SBs. 

During uncoordinated maneuvers, the affected aircraft may experience a loss of 

engine power due to fuel starvation. This SB mandates installation of a warning 

placard to alert operators of this condition.

NOTE: Affected airplanes were delivered from the factory with an FAAapproved document that contains information (operating limitations, 

operating procedures, performance information, etc.) necessary to 

operate the airplane at the level of safety established by the airplane’s 

certification basis. This document may be identified as “Airplane Flight 

Manual” or “Pilot’s Operating Handbook” (POH). Some Airplane Flight 

Manuals were published as part of (i.e., Section 3) a “Pilot’s Operating 

Manual.” They may be found as standalone documents or within the 

“Pilot’s Operating Manual.” For the purposes of this service publication, 

“POH” shall refer to any of these documents. 

Compliance Time: Compliance is to coincide with the next regularly scheduled maintenance event, 

but not to exceed the next 50 hours time in service. If necessary due to lead time 

of parts required for compliance with this service bulletin, operators are allowed 

up to 50 hours of additional operation time.

Approval: The engineering aspects of this service document have been shown to comply 

with the applicable Federal Aviation Regulations and are FAA approved.

Purpose: This service bulletin provides instructions to verify the following, for affected 

airplanes, and corrective steps for compliance, when necessary: 

•	 The correct fuel warning placard is properly installed on the instrument panel

•	 The correct text of that fuel warning placard is in the Limitations section of 

the POH

SAFETY INTENT: Uncoordinated maneuvers, including side slips of 30 seconds or more and 

fast taxi turns can cause fuel in the affected aircraft to temporarily flow away 

from the location of the fuel tank pick-up line(s), if the fuel tank(s) in use are 

not filled to an adequate level. Under these conditions, fuel flow to the engine 

may be momentarily disrupted, resulting in loss of engine power. This service 

bulletin provides a means of verifying that fuel warning placards and POH content 

accurately warn of the risk of power loss in such circumstances. 

CONFIGURATION

DESCRIPTION: This SB provides instructions, when necessary, to install the correct fuel warning 

placard on the instrument panel, and to acquire revised POH pages with the 

correct text of the fuel warning placard in the Limitations section. 
SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 1266 PAGE 3 of 9

Instructions:

Note: Some steps in these instructions are identified as “required for compliance” (RC). If this service 

bulletin is mandated by an airworthiness directive (AD), the steps identified as RC must be done to 

comply with the AD. Steps not identified as RC are recommended and may be deviated from, done 

as a part of other actions, or done with accepted methods different from those given in SB, if the RC 

steps can be done and the airplane can be put back in a serviceable condition.

1. RC – Using Table 1 and Figures 1 through 4, identify the fuel warning placard, if installed, on the airplane. 

Compare the text on the installed placard with the corresponding text in Table 2. 

Note: Prior versions of fuel warning placards may have text that is very similar to text in Table 2. Examine the 

text of the currently installed fuel warning placard and confirm that it exactly matches the corresponding 

text in Table 2, word for word. 

•	 If the text on the installed fuel warning placard exactly matches the corresponding text in Table 2, there is 

no need to replace the placard. Proceed to Step 2. 

•	 If no fuel warning placard is installed, or if the text on the installed fuel warning placard does not exactly 

match the corresponding text in Table 2, then a replacement placard must be installed. Order and install 

the applicable fuel warning placard shown in Table 1 and Figures 1 through 4.

Note: The instrument panel configuration of some airplanes may differ from the factory configuration. In 

such cases, the appropriate fuel warning placard may be installed in a different location from that 

shown in Figures 1 through 4, with the following restrictions: 

•	 The fuel warning placard shall not obscure existing instruments, controls or markings.

•	 The fuel warning placard shall be installed on the instrument panel in clear view of the pilot.

•	 The shape of the fuel warning placard available from Piper might not fit on the instrument panel, 

and meet the above restrictions. If so, a custom fuel warning placard may be fabricated. It must 

meet the above restrictions and contain the exact, corresponding text shown in Table 2 with a 

font size of eight points (8 pt.) or higher. 

2. RC – Go to the Limitations section of the POH and compare the text with the corresponding text in Table 2.

•	 If the POH contains the exact text found in Table 2 for the specific airplane model, there is no need for a 

POH revision. 

•	 If the POH does not contain the exact text found in Table 2 for the specific airplane model, a POH revision 

is required. Contact Piper Technical Publications (see Availability of Parts, below) to request the appropriate 

POH revision. 

3. Make a logbook entry documenting compliance with this service bulletin. 
SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 1266 PAGE 4 of 9

MATERIAL REQUIRED: One (1) each fuel warning placard, per airplane, according to Tables 1 and 2, 

on condition; one (1) each POH revision per airplane, according to Table 2, on 

condition 

Table 1

Models affected

MODEL

serial numbers

Placard

Placement

Placard

Part Number

PA-24-250 Comanche 

with fuel injection

24-2563, 24-2844 thru 24-3641,

24-3643 thru 24-3687

Figure 1 80378-002 PA-24-260 Comanche 

with fuel injection

24-3642, 24-4000 thru 24-4299,

24-4300 thru 24-4782,

24-4784 thru 24-4803,

PA-24-260 "C" Comanche 24-4783, 24-4804 thru 24-5047

PA24-400 Comanche 26-1 thru 26-148 Figure 1 80390-002

PA-31 & PA-31-300 Navajo 31-2 thru 31-900, 

31-752 thru 31-7300923,

31-7300925, 31-7300927,

31-7300929, 31-7300931

Figure 2 80383-002

PA-31P Navajo 31P-1 thru 31P-7300115 Figure 3

PA-23-250 (six place) Aztec B

with fuel injection

27-2322 thru 27-2504

Figure 4 80382-002

PA-23-250 (six place) Aztec "C"

PA-E23-250 (six place) Aztec "C"

27-2505 thru 27-3836,

27-3838 thru 27-3943

PA-23-250 (six place) Aztec "D"

PA-E23-250 (six place) Aztec "D"

27-3837, 27-3944 thru 27-4425,

27-4427 thru 27-4573

PA-23-250 (six place) Aztec "E"

PA-E23-250 (six place) Aztec "E"

27-4426, 27-4574 thru 27-7405476

PA-30 Twin Comanche 30-1 thru 30-2000 Adhere to instrument 

panel in conspicuous 

place, in clear view of 

the pilot.

80379-002

PA-39 Twin Comanche 39-1 thru 39-155

Table 2

placard

Part Number

Placard Text Shown

in Limitations Section of the POH

80378-002

WARNING — UNCOORDINATED MANEUVERS, INCLUDING SIDE SLIPS OF 30 SECONDS 

OR MORE, FOR ANY REASON, AND FAST TAXI TURNS JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF CAN 

CAUSE LOSS OF POWER IF FUEL TANK IN USE IS LESS THAN 1/2 FULL

80390-002

WARNING — UNCOORDINATED MANEUVERS, INCLUDING SIDE SLIPS OF 30 SECONDS 

OR MORE, FOR ANY REASON, AND FAST TAXI TURNS JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF CAN 

CAUSE LOSS OF POWER IF FUEL TANK IN USE IS NOT FULL

80383-002

WARNING — UNCOORDINATED MANEUVERS, INCLUDING SIDE SLIPS OF 30 SECONDS 

OR MORE, FOR ANY REASON, AND FAST TAXI TURNS JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF CAN 

CAUSE LOSS OF POWER IF FUEL TANKS IN USE ARE LESS THAN 3/4 FULL

80382-002

WARNING — UNCOORDINATED MANEUVERS, INCLUDING SIDE SLIPS OF 30 SECONDS 

OR MORE, FOR ANY REASON, AND FAST TAXI TURNS JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF CAN 

CAUSE LOSS OF POWER IF FUEL TANKS IN USE ARE LESS THAN 1/2 FULL

80379-002

WARNING — UNCOORDINATED MANEUVERS, INCLUDING SIDE SLIPS OF 30 SECONDS 

OR MORE, FOR ANY REASON, AND FAST TAXI TURNS JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF CAN 

CAUSE LOSS OF POWER IF FUEL TANKS IN USE ARE LESS THAN 1/4 FULL

Note: TAKEOFF or TAKE-OFF are both acceptable spellings. 
SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 1266 PAGE 5 of 9

Figure 1

Warning Placard - PA-24-250 (FI), PA-24-260 (FI), PA-24-260 “C” and PA-24-400 Comanche

WARNING PLACARD, LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF INSTRUMENT PANEL

COPILOT

CONTROL WHEEL

COLUMN

PLACARD

P/N 80378-002

OR

P/N 80390-002

CIGARETTE LIGHTER CIRCUIT BREAKERS

(SEE TABLE 1 FOR PLACARD TEXT)
SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 1266 PAGE 6 of 9

Figure 2

Warning Placard - PA-31 and PA-31-300

WARNING PLACARD, LOWER LEFT CORNER OF LEFT INSTRUMENT PANEL

(SEE TABLE 1 FOR PLACARD TEXT)

PLACARD

P/N 80383-002
SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 1266 PAGE 7 of 9

Figure 3

Warning Placard - PA-31P Navajo

WARNING PLACARD, LOWER LEFT CORNER OF MAIN INSTRUMENT PANEL

PLACARD P/N 80383-002

(SEE TABLE 1 FOR PLACARD TEXT)
SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 1266 PAGE 8 of 9

Figure 4

Warning Placard - PA-23-250 and 23E-250 Aztec (six-place) “B,” “C,” “D,” and “E”

N (SEE TABLE 1 FOR PLACARD TEXT)

WARNING PLACARD, UPPER LEFT INSTRUMENT PANEL, 

ADJACENT TO THE COMPASS DEVIATION CARD

AZTEC “E” SHOWN

PLACARD

P/N 80382-002
SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 1266 PAGE 9 of 9

AVAILABILITY OF PARTS: Placards or Complete Replacement POHs – Your Factory Authorized Piper 

Service Facility 

POH Revisions – Contact Piper Technical Publications at (1)(772) 299-2141 or 

techpubs@piper.com for assistance

Effectivity date: This service bulletin is effective upon receipt.

Summary: Please contact your Factory Authorized Piper Service Facility to make 

arrangements for compliance with this service bulletin in accordance with the 

compliance time indicated.

Note: Please notify the factory of any address/ownership corrections. Changes should include aircraft model, 

serial number, and current owner’s name and address.

Corrections and/or changes should be directed to:

PIPER AIRCRAFT, INC.

Attn: Customer Service

2926 Piper Drive

Vero Beach, FL 32960