AD/Con/90 Amdt 1 EQ3 Cylinders Inspection for Cracks (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/CON/90 and issues the following 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.

Teledyne Continental Motors Piston Engines

AD/CON/90 Amdt 1 EQ3 Cylinders - Inspection for Cracks 12/2009

Applicability:

Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) O-470, IO-470, TSIO-470, IO-520, TSIO-520, IO-550 and IOF-550 reciprocating engine models listed in Table 1 of this Directive that have one or more affected TCM cylinders installed.

To identify the affected cylinders, cross reference the engine models in Table 1 of this Directive with the engine serial numbers found in Tables 1, 1A, 2 and 2A of TCM Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No. MSB09-1B, dated 14 July 2009.  Use the tables found in MSB09-1B to also identify spare EQ3 cylinders by cylinder part number and cylinder serial number that may have been installed on these engines.

Table 1 - Affected Engine Models

O-470-G, K, L, R, S, M, U

IO-470-C, D, E, F, H, L, M, N, S, U, V, VO

TSIO-470-B, C, D

IO-520-A, B, BA, BB, C, CB, D, E, F, J, K, L, M, MB

TSIO-520-AF, B, BB, C, CE, D, DB, E, EB, G, H, J, JB, K, KB, L, LB, M, N, NB, P, R, T, UB, VB, WB

IO-550-A, B, C, D, E, F, L

IOF-550-B, C, D, E, F, L

Note 1:  These engines are installed on, but not limited to, Alexandria Aircraft LLC (formerly Bellanca) model 300 Super Viking; Beech Bonanza 33, 35 and 36 series, Beech Baron 56 and 58 series, Cessna 180, 182, 188, 205, 206, 207, 210, 303, 310, 320, 402 and 414 model series; Aero Commander 200 and 500; certain Rockwell (formerly Meyers) Windecker Eagle 200 and Navion aeroplanes.

Requirement:

1.    Identify EQ3 cylinders using Step 1 of MSB09-1B.

2.    For EQ3 cylinders with 400 or more hours total time of operation on the effective date of this Directive, perform an initial visual inspection of the cylinder for cracks using Step 2, paragraph B, of MSB09-1B.
3.    For EQ3 cylinders with fewer than 400 hours total time of operation on the effective date of this Directive, perform an initial visual inspection of the cylinder for cracks, using Step 2, paragraph B, of TCM MSB09-1B.
4.    Remove from service any cylinders that are found to be cracked during the Requirement 2 or 3 visual inspections.
5.    Remove from service all EQ3 cylinders.
6.    EQ3 cylinders may not be installed onto any engine and any EQ3 cylinder-equipped engine may not be installed onto any aircraft.
Initial visual inspections accomplished before the effective date of this Directive per TCM MSB09-1A, dated 11 March 2009, comply with the initial inspection requirements specified in this Directive.
Later revisions of the above MSB, approved by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an Alternate Method of Compliance (AMOC) to FAA AD 2009-19-07, are considered acceptable for compliance with the equivalent Requirements of this Directive.
Note 2:  FAA AD 2009-19-07 Amdt 39-16023 refers.
Compliance:	For Requirement 1 - Remains unchanged as ‘Within 20 flight hours after the effective date of the original issue of this Directive’.
For Requirement 2 - Remains unchanged as ‘Within 20 flight hours after the effective date of the original issue of this Directive and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 50 hours of operation’.
For Requirement 3 - Before reaching 400 hours total time of operation and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 50 hours of operation.
For Requirement 4 - Before further flight after the visual inspection.
For Requirement 5 - Remains unchanged as ‘Within 1,300 hours total time of operation after the effective date of the original issue of this Directive’.
For Requirement 6 - As of the effective date of this Amendment.
This Amendment becomes effective on 19 November 2009.

Background:	In February 2009, the FAA was made aware by TCM of reports of 35 EQ3 cylinders found with cracks during inspection.  Cracked cylinders occurred on engines with times ranging from about 430 to 1,300 hours of operation.  TCM investigated the cause and discovered that their EQ3 configuration cylinder head casting tool used in the cylinder manufacturing process created an area of reduced wall thickness.  This reduced wall thickness can result in a crack in the area between the upper spark plug bore and the fuel injector/primer nozzle bore during operation.  TCM shipped engines with EQ3 cylinders and shipped individual EQ3 cylinders from 1 November 2007, through 30 January 2009.  Also, TCM produced a group of about 300 EQ3 cylinders in August and September of 2006.
This condition, if not corrected, could result in loss of engine power due to cracks in the cylinder head, possible engine failure and fire in the engine compartment.
This Amendment corrects a typographical error in the compliance statement.  Compliance times remain unchanged.
The original issue of this Directive became effective on 7 October 2009.

James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

30 September 2009