AD/Res/35 Pacific Scientific Plastic Rotary Buckle (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.

Restraint Equipment

AD/RES/35 Pacific Scientific Plastic Rotary Buckle 12/2007

Applicability:

All Pacific Scientific rotary buckles, P/N’s 1111430-XX and 1111475-XX used on restraint systems P/N’s 2000029-01, 2000029-03, 2000029-101, 2000029-121, 2000067-01, 2000115-101, & 2000115-121, manufactured from November 2004 through May 2007 inclusive, and are fitted to rotorcraft.

Requirement:

In accordance with instruction of Pacific Scientific SB25-1111432:

1.    Inspect the seat restraint systems, installed on seats or held as spares, to identify if the buckles part numbers are those affected by this AD; if yes, check the buckles for integrity.

2.    Replace any cracked buckle with an airworthy part or mark the seat as “inoperative”.

3.    Repeat inspection of the buckles affected by this AD before any flight and immediately replace them with an airworthy part if any start of cracking is detected or mark the seat as “inoperative”.

4.    Replace all rotary buckles, as identified in the Applicability section of this AD, with an airworthy part.

5.    No person may install on any aircraft as a replacement part any spare rotary buckle having P/N 1111430-XX or 1111475-XX with a manufacturing date from November 2004 through May 2007 inclusive, or install any spare restraint system having the above mentioned buckle part numbers and manufacturing date.

Note 1:  EASA AD 2007-0256 refers.

Note 2:  The inspection in Requirement 3 may be carried out by the Pilot-in-Command, in which case certification is not required.

Compliance:

1.    Within 30 days of the effective date of this Airworthiness Directive.

2.    After completion of requirement 1, before further flight.

3.    After completion of requirement 1, until compliance with requirement 4 is complete.

4.    Within 6 months of the effective date of this Airworthiness Directive.

5.    After 6 months from the effective date of this Airworthiness Directive.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 22 November 2007.

Background:

Pacific Scientific has received field reports of several instances of cracking on the guarded rotary buckle assembly plastic handle part numbers 1111430-XX and 1111475-XX with a date of manufacture from November 2004 through May 2007 inclusive.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

12 October 2007