COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Safety 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 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.
Boeing 767 Series Aeroplanes
AD/B767/198 Aft Pressure Bulkhead Web 10/2004
Applicability: All Model 767 series aircraft.
Requirement: Action in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2004-14-19 Amdt 39-13728.
Note: Boeing Alert Service Bulletins 767-53A0105 and 767-53A0106 original issue, or a later revision approved by the FAA, refer.
Compliance: As specified in the Requirement document, with a revised effective date of 30 September 2004.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 30 September 2004.
Background: This Directive requires repetitive detailed inspections of the aft pressure bulkhead web to detect and correct the propagation of fatigue cracks in the vicinity of “oil cans” on the bulkhead web. Such cracking, undetected, could result in rapid decompression of the passenger cabin, damage to control systems that pass through the bulkhead, and consequent loss of control of the aircraft.
David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 17 August 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 8 September 2004.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) were enacted to provide for the safety of civil aviation in Australia, including the maintenance and operation of aircraft. One of the key provisions of these regulations is Part 39, which includes Airworthiness Directives (ADs) that are issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These ADs are essential for ensuring that any identified safety issues with aircraft are addressed promptly. The AD/B767/198, issued in October 2004, pertains specifically to the Boeing 767 series aircraft, requiring repetitive detailed inspections of the aft pressure bulkhead web to detect and correct fatigue cracks in the vicinity of “oil cans” on the bulkhead web. This directive was introduced to address the potential risk of rapid decompression of the passenger cabin, damage to control systems, and consequent loss of control of the aircraft if such cracks were left undetected. The policy objective of this AD is to enhance the safety of aviation operations by mandating specific corrective actions as detailed in the FAA AD 2004-14-19 Amdt 39-13728.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 105, under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, apply to all Model 767 series aircraft within the Commonwealth of Australia. This legislative instrument mandates compliance with the Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, requiring detailed inspections of the aft pressure bulkhead web to detect and correct fatigue cracks in the vicinity of "oil cans". The purpose of these inspections is to prevent rapid decompression of the passenger cabin and to avoid damage to control systems that pass through the bulkhead, which could lead to loss of control of the aircraft. The AD mandates action in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2004-14-19 Amdt 39-13728, and compliance with the specified requirements must be achieved by the effective date of 30 September 2004. The AD becomes effective on the same date and is published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 8 September 2004. Subordinate instruments may extend or restrict the application of this legislation.
Key Provisions
The key provisions of this Airworthiness Directive (AD/B767/198) are set out in the sections titled "Applicability", "Requirement", and "Compliance". According to section (a) of the applicability, the directive applies to all Boeing 767 series aircraft. The requirement section specifies that the action outlined in FAA AD 2004-14-19 Amdt 39-13728 must be taken in accordance with the technical requirements of the directive (section (b)), and this must occur at the specified time mentioned in the compliance section (section (c)). The directive requires repetitive detailed inspections of the aft pressure bulkhead web to detect and correct any propagation of fatigue cracks in the vicinity of “oil cans” on the bulkhead web.
The AD imposes several obligations on the parties and entities it governs. Firstly, it requires that all Model 767 series aircraft must undergo the detailed inspections of the aft pressure bulkhead web as specified in the requirement section. The inspection must be conducted in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2004-14-19 Amdt 39-13728, and any detected issues must be corrected as specified in the directive. This ensures that the aircraft remains airworthy and safe for operation.
There are no explicit offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breach of this AD mentioned in the text. However, it is reasonable to assume that failure to comply with the AD could result in serious safety issues, including potential loss of control of the aircraft, rapid decompression of the passenger cabin, and damage to control systems that pass through the bulkhead. Such outcomes could lead to catastrophic accidents, which would likely result in severe legal and regulatory consequences for the parties responsible for non-compliance.