COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
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 39.1 (1) of CAR 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.
Airtractor AT 300, 400, and 500 Series Aeroplanes
AD/AT/24 Overturn Skid Plate 3/2003
Applicability: Model AT-250, AT-300, AT-301, AT-302, AT-400, AT-400A, AT-401, AT-401A,
AT-402, and AT-402A aircraft, with serial numbers up to and including 0829.
Model AT-501, AT-502, and AT-502A aircraft, with serial numbers up to and including 0147.
Requirement: Install overturn skid plate, part number 11411-1-500, or FAA-approved equivalent part number, in accordance with Snow Engineering Company Service Letter No. 97 dated 23 March 1991, Revised 3 October 2000, and the applicable maintenance manual.
Note: FAA AD 2002-25-09 Amdt 39-12985 refers.
Compliance: Before 20 September 2003, unless already accomplished.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 20 March 2003.
Background: The FAA received accident reports on Model AT-301 and AT-401 aircraft. The reports indicate that the aircraft skids tail first during an overturn, the windshield and curved overturn tube acts as a scoop, foreign material enters the cockpit if the canopy is damaged; and this foreign material then enters into the cabin area and possibly contributes to pilot deaths. The actions required by this Directive are intended to minimise the possibility of dirt or mud penetrating the cockpit during an overturn skid and causing pilot asphyxia or injury.
David Alan Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 6 February 2003
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 26 February 2003.
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Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Australian Parliament, form the principal legislative framework governing civil aviation in Australia. This Act aims to ensure the safety of civil aviation operations by establishing standards and procedures for aircraft airworthiness, pilot licensing, and other aviation-related activities. One specific instrument under this regulation is the Airworthiness Directive (AD/AT/24) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in 2003. This directive was introduced to address safety concerns related to the potential for pilot asphyxia or injury during aircraft overturns. Specifically, the AD mandates the installation of an overturn skid plate on Airtractor AT 300, 400, and 500 Series Aeroplanes to prevent the ingress of foreign material into the cockpit during such incidents. The policy objective of this directive is to enhance flight safety by mitigating risks associated with cockpit contamination during aircraft overturns.
Scope and Application
This Airworthiness Directive issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, applies to specific models of Airtractor aeroplanes, namely the AT 250, AT 300, AT 301, AT 302, AT 400, AT 400A, AT 401, AT 401A, AT 402, AT 402A, AT 501, AT 502, and AT 502A series, with serial numbers up to and including 0829 for the AT 300 and AT 400 series, and up to and including 0147 for the AT 500 series. The directive mandates the installation of an overturn skid plate, specifically part number 11411-1-500 or an FAA-approved equivalent, in accordance with the instructions provided by Snow Engineering Company Service Letter No. 97 dated 23 March 1991, Revised 3 October 2000, and the relevant maintenance manual. Compliance with this directive must be achieved before 20 September 2003, unless the required action has already been completed, and the directive became effective on 20 March 2003. This directive aims to mitigate the risk of pilot fatalities by preventing the ingress of foreign material into the cockpit during an overturn, as identified by accident reports involving similar aircraft models.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly Part 39, Section 105, outlines the requirements for Airworthiness Directives (ADs) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These ADs are intended to address identified safety issues with specific aircraft models, mandating corrective actions to ensure compliance with safety standards. For instance, AD/AT/24 pertains to the Airtractor AT 300, 400, and 500 Series aeroplanes and mandates the installation of an overturn skid plate to prevent the entry of foreign material into the cockpit during an overturn, which could potentially cause pilot asphyxia or injury. This AD applies to specific serial numbers of these aircraft models and must be implemented before a set deadline, which in this case is 20 September 2003.
The AD imposes specific obligations on aircraft owners and operators, requiring them to install the specified overturn skid plate, part number 11411-1-500, or an equivalent part approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in accordance with the instructions provided in Snow Engineering Company Service Letter No. 97 and the applicable maintenance manual. The AD further specifies that this installation must be completed before the set compliance date of 20 September 2003, unless it has already been accomplished. Failure to comply with the AD may result in the aircraft being deemed non-airworthy, potentially leading to grounding and legal repercussions.
Failure to comply with the requirements of the AD/AT/24 could lead to severe consequences. Non-compliance with ADs is a serious matter, as it directly impacts the airworthiness of the aircraft. The CASA has the authority to enforce compliance through various means, including audits, inspections, and legal action. In cases of non-compliance, the consequences can range from fines and penalties to the revocation of the aircraft's airworthiness certificate, which would render the aircraft inoperable until the required actions are taken. The specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in the AD itself but are governed by the broader provisions of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 and associated legislation.