COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Twin Commander (Gulfstream/Rockwell/ Aerocommander 500, 600 and 700) Series Aeroplanes
AD/AC/96
Amdt 1
Nose Landing Gear Bolt 8/98
Applicability: Models and serial numbers of aircraft listed in Twin Commander Service Bulletin 224 Revision C.
Requirement: 1. For all aircraft models except Models 690D and 695A:
Replace the nose landing gear (NLG) drag link bolt, part number (P/N) ED 10055, with a new bolt in accordance with the Instructions section of Twin Commander Service Bulletin 224, Revision C.
2. For aircraft Models 690D and 695A:
Replace the NLG drag link bolt (P/N ED 10055), with a new bolt P/N 750076-1 in accordance with SB 224, Revision C.
The new replacement bolt must be marked with the manufacturer’s serial number, the date of manufacture, and the last three digits of the drawing number, 055, on the bolt head for all but Models 690D and 695A. Models 690D and 695A bolts must be marked with the manufacturer’s serial number, the date of manufacture, and the last three digits of the drawing number, 76-1, on the bolt head.
Note: FAA AD 98-08-25 Amdt 39-10474 refers.
Compliance: Unless already accomplished, within 75 hours’ time in service after 16 July 1998.
This amendment becomes effective on 16 July 1998.
Background: A number of nose landing gear drag link bolts, distributed after 8 August 1994, were improperly heat treated. Failure of an improperly heat treated bolt caused the collapse of the nose landing gear and damage to an engine and fuel tank, resulting in fuel leakage.
Amendment 1 is issued in response to a new FAA AD which retains the requirements of the original AD, adds an additional model and additional serial numbers to the applicability, and requires bolt replacement on certain model aircraft.
The original issue of this airworthiness directive became effective on 1 May 1996.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, which were enacted to ensure the safety of civil aviation within Australia, address various technical and operational aspects of aircraft operations. A specific legislative instrument within this regulation, F2006B02157, pertains to the Twin Commander (Gulfstream/Rockwell/ Aerocommander 500, 600 and 700) Series Aeroplanes, establishing airworthiness directives to manage and mitigate safety risks. This amendment, introduced by the Australian Government, was designed to address the issue of improperly heat-treated nose landing gear drag link bolts, which had previously led to structural failures and associated hazards. The amendment mandates the replacement of these bolts within a specified timeframe to enhance the safety and reliability of the aircraft in operation, aligning with the overarching policy objective of maintaining stringent aviation safety standards.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, encompasses the scope and application of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s Schedule of Airworthiness Directives for Twin Commander (Gulfstream/Rockwell/Aerocommander 500, 600, and 700) series aeroplanes. This regulation applies to the specific models and serial numbers of aircraft listed in Twin Commander Service Bulletin 224, Revision C, and mandates the replacement of the nose landing gear (NLG) drag link bolt to ensure compliance with safety standards. For all aircraft models except Models 690D and 695A, the requirement is to replace the NLG drag link bolt (P/N ED 10055) with a new bolt as outlined in the Instructions section of the aforementioned service bulletin. For Models 690D and 695A, a different replacement bolt (P/N 750076-1) is specified, also detailed in Service Bulletin 224, Revision C. This amendment became effective on 16 July 1998, and compliance must be achieved within 75 hours’ time in service following this date. The directive is grounded in the necessity to address the issue of improperly heat-treated bolts that led to significant structural damage and safety hazards.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly in Part 39, Subpart 105, outline specific airworthiness directives for certain models of Twin Commander aircraft. The regulation at focus here is AD/AC/96 Amendment 1, which pertains to the nose landing gear (NLG) drag link bolt for Gulfstream/Rockwell/Aerocommander 500, 600, and 700 series aeroplanes. This directive applies to models and serial numbers detailed in Twin Commander Service Bulletin 224 Revision C, excluding Models 690D and 695A for which specific replacement bolt requirements are provided. The requirement mandates the replacement of the NLG drag link bolt (part number ED 10055) with a new bolt, following the instructions outlined in Twin Commander Service Bulletin 224, Revision C. For all models except 690D and 695A, the new bolt must be marked with specific details including the manufacturer's serial number, the date of manufacture, and the last three digits of the drawing number 055. For Models 690D and 695A, the new bolt (part number 750076-1) must be similarly marked with the manufacturer’s serial number, the date of manufacture, and the last three digits of the drawing number 76-1.
The obligations under this directive are clear and specific. Aircraft owners or operators must ensure that the required replacements are completed within 75 hours of the aircraft being in service after 16 July 1998, unless already done. This directive is issued to address safety concerns arising from improperly heat-treated bolts, which have previously resulted in failures, nose landing gear collapses, and subsequent damage to engines and fuel tanks, leading to fuel leakage. The directive is effective from 16 July 1998, and it retains the requirements of the original directive while extending applicability to additional models and serial numbers. The impetus for this amendment is a corresponding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directive, FAA AD 98-08-25 Amendment 39-10474.
Failure to comply with this airworthiness directive could have serious legal and safety implications. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in the text provided, under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can result in significant penalties. These can include civil penalties for non-compliance, potential grounding of the aircraft, and criminal charges in cases where non-compliance results in serious accidents or fatalities. The severity of the penalties reflects the critical importance of adhering to airworthiness directives to ensure the safety of all personnel and passengers involved in aviation activities.