AD/BEECH 1900/28 - Cabin Oxygen Mask Lanyards

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, amended through Legislative Instrument F2006B03645, introduced a specific airworthiness directive (AD/BEECH 1900/28) aimed at addressing safety concerns associated with the cabin oxygen mask lanyards in Beechcraft 1900 Series aeroplanes, particularly the Model 1900D. This directive was enacted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to rectify an issue identified by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), where a passenger's oxygen mask lanyard did not automatically activate oxygen flow during cabin depressurisation, potentially leading to passenger injury. The directive mandates the replacement of existing passenger oxygen container and mask assemblies with an improved design, ensuring automatic activation of the oxygen flow mechanism when the mask is pulled to the face, thereby enhancing safety in emergency situations. The objective of this regulation is to ensure that all affected aircraft are compliant within 200 hours from the directive's effective date of 7 July 1999.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as detailed in PART 39 - 105 and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, apply to specific models of Beechcraft 1900 Series aeroplanes. This particular directive, AD/BEECH 1900/28, pertains to cabin oxygen mask lanyards for Model 1900D aeroplanes with serial numbers ranging from UE-1 to UE-338 inclusive. The directive mandates that these aeroplanes must replace the existing passenger oxygen container and mask assembly with an improved design and prohibits the installation of the older model in any aeroplane. Compliance with these requirements is mandatory, with the directive requiring the replacement within the next 200 hours of time in service from the effective date and a prohibition on the installation of the older model from the effective date of the directive. This Airworthiness Directive was made effective on 7 July 1999 in response to an incident reported by the United States Federal Aviation Administration, where a passenger's oxygen mask lanyard failed to initiate oxygen flow during a loss of pressurisation, leading to potential passenger injury.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically in Part 39 - 105, mandate the application of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) for various aircraft types. This particular AD, AD/BEECH 1900/28, pertains to Beechcraft 1900 Series aeroplanes, more precisely to Model 1900D aeroplanes with Serial Numbers UE-1 through UE-338 inclusive. The directive requires the replacement of existing passenger oxygen container and mask assemblies with an improved design to enhance safety during emergency situations (Section 1). The existing assemblies, identified by Part Number 129-384005-3, must be replaced with the new design, Part Number 129-384005-5, installed using the PuritanBennett retrofit Kit No 280041-00 as specified in Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 35-3233 issued in December 1998. Furthermore, it prohibits the installation of the old assemblies in any aeroplane (Section 1). Compliance with this AD must be achieved within 200 hours of time in service from the effective date of the Directive, which is 7 July 1999, or by the date the Directive becomes effective, whichever comes first (Section 2). The directive aims to address a specific incident reported by the United States Federal Aviation Administration, where a passenger oxygen mask lanyard pin failed to automatically pull and initiate oxygen flow during a loss of pressurisation. By installing shorter length cabin oxygen mask lanyards, the directive seeks to ensure that the oxygen flow mechanism is automatically activated when the mask is pulled to the face, thereby preventing potential passenger injury due to delayed manual activation of the lanyard pin (Section 1). Entities and operators governed by these regulations are required to adhere strictly to the stipulated timelines and modifications. This includes conducting a thorough assessment of the current oxygen systems in affected aircraft, sourcing the necessary retrofit kits, and ensuring that the installation of the new assemblies is carried out in accordance with the specified bulletin. Failure to comply with the directive can lead to serious safety implications, including potential passenger harm and non-compliance with international aviation safety standards (Section 2). The consequences for non-compliance with this AD are significant. According to the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, breaches of airworthiness directives can result in severe penalties. These may include substantial fines, operational restrictions, and potential grounding of non-compliant aircraft. The exact penalties can vary depending on the severity and frequency of the breach, but they are intended to enforce strict adherence to safety standards. In cases of serious non-compliance, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority has the authority to take further legal action, which may include criminal charges against individuals or entities responsible for the breach (Section 3).