Ad/CASA/29 - Pitot Static Tubes (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Casa 212 Series Aeroplanes

AD/CASA/29 Pitot Static Tubes 11/2008 DM

Applicability:	Model C-212-CB, C-212-CC, C-212-CD, C-212-CE, C-212-CF, C-212-DE and C-212-VA aircraft, all serial numbers, if part number (P/N) 212-61105.1 or 212-61105.2 pitot tubes are installed.
Note 1:  EADS-CASA Service Bulletin SB 212-34-11 Revision 1 dated 27 February 2008 only refers to Models C-212-CB, C-212-CC, C-212-CD and C-212-CE aircraft and serial numbers.  This Directive also applies to Models C-212-CF, C-212-DE and C-212-VA aircraft, even though there are no civil-registered Models C-212-CF, C-212-DE and C-212-VA aircraft known to be in service today.
Requirement:	1.    Perform a detailed inspection of the affected pitot/static tubes for radial cracking around the top lip of the dynamic port in accordance with the instructions of EADS-CASA C-212 Maintenance Manual, Chapter 5, Revision 5, June 2002, common to all models.
2.    If cracks are found during any Requirement 1 inspection, replace the tube with a new P/N 212-A0150-0001 or 212-A0150-0002 pitot tube in accordance with the instructions of EADS-CASA SB 212-34-11 Revision 1.
The use of later revisions of the C-212 Maintenance Manual or SB 212-34-11 Revision 1 approved by the European Aviation safety Agency (EASA) is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this Directive.
Note 2:  EASA AD 2008-0155 refers.
Compliance:	For Requirement 1 - Within one calendar month or 300 hours time in service (TIS), whichever occurs first after the effective date of this Directive, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 300 hours TIS.
For Requirement 2 - Before the next flight after any inspection accomplished in accordance with Requirement 1.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 15 September 2008.

Background:

Incidents have been reported on Britten-Norman BN-2 aircraft, where cracks were found in the inner shell of the pitot/static pressure heads.  The investigation concluded that these pitot tubes, supplied by Thales Optronics, could be operated outside their voltage specification.  On 15 December 2005, CAA United Kingdom issued AD
G-2005-0034 (EASA approval number 2005-6447), later superseded by EASA AD 2006-0143 (AD/BN-2/84 Amdt 2), to require inspections and leak tests on Britten-Norman aircraft.  Subsequently, it has been discovered that the same tubes are supplied to EADS-CASA for installation on C-212 aircraft, one for the pilot side and one for the co-pilot side.

Although EADS-CASA has not received any report of cracked pitot tubes from
C-212 operators there is a potential for this to occur which could result in incorrect readings on the pressure instrumentation e.g. altimeters, vertical speed indicators (rate of climb) and airspeed indicators, potentially leading to navigational errors.

For this reason, this Directive requires the inspection of the affected pitot tubes and, if cracks are found, replacement of those tubes with the new P/N 212-A0150-0001 and 212-A0150-0002 pitot tubes.

Charles Lenarcic
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

8 September 2008