COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Boeing 727 Series Aeroplanes
AD/B727/100
Amdt 3
Elevator Rear Spar 8/96
Applicability: Model 727 series aircraft, line numbers 1 through 1832.
Requirement: Action in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 96-06-05 Amdt 39-9542.
Compliance: As specified in the Requirement Document with a revised effective date of 18 July 1996.
Background: Several cases of fatigue cracking were reported. The cracking was believed to be initiated by interference between the spar flange bend radii and the sharp edges on the shear plates mounted between the spar and the elevator tab hinges. Amendment 1 introduced SB 727-55-0087, which similarly covers the early design elevator rear spar as a result of recent Australian and overseas reports of cracking.
Amendment 2 clarified the compliance for operators of certain aircraft.
Amendment 3 is issued in response to a new FAA AD which adds new inspections to detect cracks and loose brackets of the elevator rear spar and a new terminating modification for the inspections. Reports were received of cracking in the spar radii at the tab hinge location of the elevator rear spar.