AD/BEECH 1900/27 - Inspection for Flight Control Interference with Wiring

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended through the legislative instrument F2006B03644, address specific safety concerns associated with the Beechcraft 1900 Series aeroplanes. Enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, this directive was introduced to rectify issues identified in flight control mechanisms, particularly those relating to potential interference from wiring components. The directive is a response to an incident where an aeroplane of this model lost control due to wiring entanglement, highlighting the necessity for stringent safety measures in civil aviation. The policy objective is to ensure the ongoing airworthiness and safety of the specified aircraft by mandating inspections and corrective actions as outlined in the Raytheon Mandatory Service Bulletin 27-3232, thereby mitigating the risk of similar incidents in the future.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, has issued an Airworthiness Directive concerning Beechcraft 1900 Series aeroplanes. This directive, AD/BEECH 1900/27, mandates an inspection for potential interference between the flight control mechanism and any component located forward of the instrument, a directive applicable to certain serial numbers of the Beechcraft 1900D model. The directive applies to aircraft with specific serial numbers, requiring inspections unless certain conditions are met, such as the completion of Raytheon Safety Communiqué No 149. The inspection must be performed within 25 hours of time in service after 19 May 1999, and prior to further flight after inspection if any issues are found. This directive becomes effective from 19 May 1999 and is designed to mitigate risks identified in previous incidents where control mechanisms were compromised by wiring entanglement. The regulation ensures that the specified aircraft meet the required safety standards to prevent any recurrence of such incidents.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this Airworthiness Directive (AD/BEECH 1900/27) pertain to the inspection and rectification of potential interference or inadequate clearance between the flight control mechanisms and components located forward of the instrument panel on Beechcraft 1900 Series Aeroplanes. According to Section 1, the directive applies to specific serial numbers of the 1900D model, as outlined in the applicability section (Section 1). The requirement, as stated in Section 2, is to inspect for interference or inadequate clearance between the flight control mechanism and any components forward of the instrument panel, following the guidelines in Raytheon Mandatory Service Bulletin (SB) 27-3232 dated March 1999. If such interference or inadequate clearance is found, all components must be secured clear of the flight control mechanisms in accordance with the same service bulletin (Section 2). It should be noted that if Raytheon Safety Communiqué No 149 dated August 1998 or No 149 Rev 1 dated November 1998 has already been carried out, no further action is required (Note 1). Furthermore, this directive references FAA AD 99-09-15 (Note 2). In terms of compliance, the AD requires that the inspection and any necessary corrective action be completed within 25 hours of time in service after the directive’s effective date of 19 May 1999 (Section 1). Additionally, any inspection must be completed prior to further flight after the inspection (Section 1). This ensures that any potential safety issues are identified and rectified promptly, maintaining the airworthiness of the aircraft. The consequences for non-compliance with this Airworthiness Directive are not explicitly stated within the text. However, failure to comply with such directives can potentially lead to serious safety issues, including loss of control as was the case in the incident that prompted this directive. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) enforces these regulations, and non-compliance could result in enforcement actions, including fines or other civil penalties, as well as potential criminal charges if the non-compliance leads to an accident or incident. The exact penalties would depend on the specific circumstances and the severity of the non-compliance.