Overview

The Airworthiness Directive issued under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, specifically AD/BEECH 1900/43, was enacted on 5 August 2004. This directive was introduced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address the unsafe condition identified in the canted bulkhead at Fuselage Station (FS) 588.10 on specific models of Beechcraft 1900 Series aeroplanes. The problem identified was the presence of multi-site fatigue cracks in the canted bulkhead, which if left unaddressed, could potentially lead to structural failure, adversely affecting the aircraft’s control and safety. The policy objective of this directive is to ensure the ongoing airworthiness of the affected aircraft by mandating regular inspections and corrective actions to prevent any potential loss of control.

Scope and Application

This Airworthiness Directive (AD) applies specifically to Beechcraft 1900 Series aeroplanes, including Model 1900, Model 1900C, and Model 1900D aircraft, with specified serial numbers. The directive mandates inspections and corrective actions for the canted bulkhead at Fuselage Station (FS) 588.10, which has been identified as a potential site for fatigue cracks. The requirement is to inspect the bulkhead for such cracks and, if detected, to incorporate a specified repair kit before further flight. This action is mandated under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), and the directive is effective from 5 August 2004. Compliance with the inspection and repair requirements must occur either upon the accumulation of 5,000 hours of time in service or within 600 hours after 5 August 2004, whichever is later. If no cracks are found, further inspections must be conducted at intervals not exceeding 600 hours of time in service until the repair kit is incorporated. This directive ensures that the canted bulkhead maintains its structural integrity, thereby preventing potential loss of control due to rudder cable tension issues.

Key Provisions

This Airworthiness Directive (AD) applies to specific models of the Beechcraft 1900 Series aeroplanes, namely Model 1900 with serial numbers UA-1 through UA-3, Model 1900C with serial numbers UB-1 through UB-74 and UC-1 through UC-174, and Model 1900D with serial numbers UE-1 through UE-113 (AD/BEECH 1900/43). The primary requirement outlined in this AD is to inspect the canted bulkhead at Fuselage Station (FS) 588.10 for any fatigue cracks. This inspection must be conducted in accordance with the guidelines set forth in Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 53-2564 Revision 2, Revised July 2003 (section 1). The AD mandates that if any fatigue cracks are detected during the inspection, corrective action must be taken before any further flight can occur. Specifically, Kit No. 129-4005-1S must be incorporated to address the identified issues. It is important to note that the incorporation of this kit is considered the terminating action for the inspection requirements stipulated in this AD (section 2). This AD is closely aligned with the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) AD 2004-09-07 Amdt 39-13596. The AD imposes obligations on the operators and owners of the affected Beechcraft 1900 Series aeroplanes. These parties must ensure that the specified inspections are carried out and that any necessary corrective actions are implemented in a timely manner. The inspections must be conducted upon the accumulation of 5,000 hours of time in service or within 600 hours of time in service after 5 August 2004, whichever occurs later. If no cracks are detected during an inspection, the inspections must continue at intervals not exceeding 600 hours of time in service until Kit No. 129-4005-1S is incorporated. This directive became effective on 5 August 2004 and was published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 14 July 2004. Failure to comply with the requirements of this AD may result in severe consequences, including potential safety risks and legal penalties. The AD is designed to mitigate the risk of structural failure of the canted bulkhead, which could lead to a loss of control of the aircraft. Therefore, non-compliance could be considered a serious breach of safety regulations, potentially leading to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). While the AD itself does not specify maximum penalties, non-compliance with CASA regulations can result in significant fines and other enforcement actions as per the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998).