AD/S-PUMA/75 Crash Position Indicator Water Activated Switch (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.

Eurocopter AS 332 (Super Puma) Series Helicopters

AD/S-PUMA/75 Crash Position Indicator Water Activated Switch 6/2008

Applicability:	AS 332 helicopter, models and serial numbers (S/N) as listed in Table 1, equipped with a CPI 503 crash position indicator beacon.
Table 1
Helicopter Model	Serial Number
AS 332 L1  AS 332 L2	2050, 2111 and 2115 2608, 2610, 2612, 2614, 2616, 2622, 2632, 2634, 2636, 2639 and 2655
Requirement:	1.    Relocate the water-activated switch and accomplish the associated modifications in accordance with the instructions of paragraph 2.B. of EUROCOPTER Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 25.01.89 dated 16 April 2008 or later revision approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
2.    For AS 332 L1 helicopters S/N 2050, 2111 and 2115, replace the P/N 50323 water-activated switch with a P/N 503232 unit.
Note:  EASA AD 2008-0076 refers.
Compliance:	For Requirement 1 - Within the next 85 hours time in service or three calendar months, whichever occurs first after the effective date of this Directive.
For Requirement 2 - Concurrent with the Requirement 1 modification.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 5 June 2008.
Background:	The EASA has advised of incidents being reported of uncontrolled activation of the crash position indicator beacon due to the location of the water activated switch in the left hand sponson when exposed to splashing water.

Inadvertent and uncontrolled deployment in flight of the beacon represents a risk of injury to persons on the ground.  To prevent recurrence, Eurocopter has developed Modification (MOD) 332P083289.00 for AS 332 L2 version helicopters which consists in modifying the location of the water-activated switch; and MOD 332AMR3649.01 and MOD 332AMR3649.02 for AS 332 L1 helicopters which consist in modifying the location of the water-activated switch and replacing the Part Number (P/N) 50323 water-activated switch with a P/N 503232 unit.  The replacement of the switch was required for AS 332 L2 helicopters by
AD/S-PUMA/64 Amdt 1 (EASA AD 2006-0300).

For these reasons, this Directive requires the relocation of the water-activated switch and, for a few AS 332 L1 helicopters, the replacement of the switch.

James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

23 April 2008