AD/BEECH 23/44 - Stabilator Hinge Fastener Shearing

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, were introduced to ensure the safety of civil aviation within Australia. Specifically, Part 39 - 105 of these regulations includes a schedule of airworthiness directives aimed at addressing identified safety concerns in various aircraft models. One such directive, AD/BEECH 23/44, pertains to Beechcraft 19, 23, and 24 series aeroplanes and addresses the issue of stabilator hinge fastener shearing. The problem identified was the potential for these fasteners to fail, leading to safety risks. The directive requires a visual inspection of these fasteners and mandates their replacement if any are found to be loose or failed, ensuring compliance with the stipulated flight hours post-inspection. This directive aims to mitigate the risk of stabilator hinge failure by enforcing regular inspections and timely maintenance.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, addresses the safety of Beechcraft 19, 23, and 24 series aeroplanes through AD/BEECH 23/44. This directive mandates the inspection and replacement of stabilator hinge fasteners to prevent shearing, which has been reported in multiple instances. The directive applies to various models of these aircraft, identified by specific serial number ranges, and mandates inspections and corrective actions to ensure continued airworthiness. Compliance is required before further flight, with a specific schedule based on the aircraft's registration category, ensuring regular checks are performed either every 100 hours for normal and utility category aircraft or every 25 hours for acrobatic category aircraft. The directive extends its application to all aircraft registered in Australia, thereby enforcing safety standards on a national level. The directive does not explicitly exclude any models or conditions but rather ensures that all applicable aircraft undergo the necessary inspections and repairs to maintain safety standards.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, detail Airworthiness Directives (ADs) concerning the safety of various aircraft models, including Beechcraft 19, 23, and 24 Series Aeroplanes. One such directive, AD/BEECH 23/44, addresses the stabilator hinge fasteners and their susceptibility to shearing, which could compromise the aircraft's structural integrity. This directive applies to a broad range of models and serial numbers of these aircraft, as outlined in the applicability section. The main requirements of this directive, as stated in the regulation, involve conducting a visual inspection of the fasteners that secure the stabilator hinge assemblies to the fuselage. This inspection must be performed to check for any signs of looseness or failure (section 1). If any fasteners are found to be loose or failed, all fasteners securing both the left and right hinge assemblies to the fuselage must be replaced according to the instructions in Beech SB No 2182 (section 2). This inspection and, if necessary, replacement must occur before further flights. This directive references FAA AD 87-02-08 for further guidance. Compliance with this AD is mandatory and must be observed by operators of aircraft registered in the normal, utility, and acrobatic categories. For aircraft in the normal and utility categories, compliance must occur prior to further flight after 19 February 1987 and subsequently every 100 hours of time in service. For those registered in the acrobatic category, the compliance requirement is every 25 hours of time in service. This directive was issued in response to reports indicating that the stabilator hinge fasteners could shear, with instances where nearly all fasteners had failed, highlighting the importance of stringent adherence to these safety measures. Failure to comply with this AD could result in serious safety risks, as the structural integrity of the aircraft could be compromised, potentially leading to catastrophic failure during flight. While specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed within the AD itself, breaches of civil aviation safety regulations can lead to severe consequences, including fines and potential criminal charges. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to impose penalties, which could include substantial monetary fines and, in severe cases, imprisonment for individuals responsible for non-compliance.