AD/PC-12/32 Amdt 1 Nose Landing Gear Drag Link (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/PC-12/32 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.

Pilatus PC-12 Series Aeroplanes

AD/PC-12/32 Amdt 1 Nose Landing Gear Drag Link 6/2009 DM

Applicability:

Model PC-12, PC-12/45 and PC-12/47 aircraft, with manufacturer serial numbers 101 through 544, and 546 through 888.

Model PC-12/47E aircraft, with manufacturer serial numbers 545, and 1001 through 1150.

Requirement:

1.    Amend the operator’s approved aircraft maintenance programme to incorporate the structural, component and miscellaneous limitations defined in Pilatus PC-12 Temporary Revision No. 04-02, document 12-A-04-00-00-00A-00T-A, dated
28 January 2009, (for PC-12, PC-12/45 and PC-12/47 aircraft), and document
12-B-04-00-00-00A-000A-A, Revision 1, dated 27 January 2009, (for PC-12/47E aircraft), or later EASA approved revisions.

2.    Accomplish the initial and repetitive inspections of the nose landing gear right hand upper drag link part number 532.20.12.140 or 532.20.12.289 in accordance with the compliance schedule as specified in Pilatus PC-12 Temporary Revision No. 04-02, document 12-A-04-00-00-00A-00T-A, dated 28 January 2009, (for PC-12, PC-12/45 and PC-12/47 aircraft), and document 12-B-04-00-00-00A-000A-A, Revision 1, dated 27 January 2009, (for PC-12/47E aircraft); or later EASA approved revisions.

The 4,000 landing life-limit for part number 532.20.12.140 nose landing gear right hand drag link introduced by superseded FOCA AD HB 2002-271 remains valid.

Replacement of the nose landing gear right hand upper drag link part number 532.20.12.140 or 532.20.12.289 with the newly designed nose landing gear right hand upper drag link with a part number 532.20.12.296 drag link constitutes terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by this Directive.

Note:  EASA AD 2009-0086 refers.

Compliance:

1.    Within 30 days after 28 April 2009, unless already accomplished.

2.    As specified in Requirement 2.

This Amendment becomes effective on 28 April 2009.

Background:

Reports were received by FOCA of uncommanded extension of the nose landing gear during cruise flight.  Investigation revealed certain nose landing gear drag links had failed due to fatigue cracking.  Complete failure of these drag links could result in gear collapse during landing.

Amendment 1 is issued in response to a new EASA AD, which was prompted when a recent investigation of a new occurrence of cracking revealed that the replacement nose landing gear right hand upper drag link part number 532.20.12.289 had also suffered fatigue cracking, but in a different place.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

24 April 2009