COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Beechcraft 55, 58 and 95-55 (Baron) Series Aeroplanes
AD/BEECH 55/62
Amdt 4
Wing Main Spar Centre Section 11/90
Applicability: As detailed in the Requirement Document.
Requirement: Inspect the wing forward spar carry through structure forward and aft frames, in accordance with Beechcraft Service Bulletin No 2269 Rev 1, dated March 1990.
Note: FAA AD 90-08-14, Amendment 39-6563 refers.
Compliance: Within 100 hours’ time in service after 30 November 1989, or prior to the accumulation of 1500 hours total time in service, whichever occurs later. Where no cracks are found, repeat the inspections at intervals not to exceed 500 hours’ time in service. Where cracks are found, repeat the inspections at intervals as detailed in the Requirement Document. Crack limits must not be exceeded.
Specific locations repaired or reinforced by the installation of the applicable Beech P/N 58-4008 kit or other approved scheme, need not be inspected before 1500 hours’ time in service after installation of the repair, however affected areas adjacent to repair doublers remain subject to the above compliance. Aircraft inspected in accordance with the previous issue of this Directive, shall be considered to have been inspected in accordance with this amendment.
Background: There have been numerous reports of cracking at various locations in the wing carry through structure. This problem was first found in Australia in 1981. The cracking is caused by fatigue in the corners of the fuselage frame webs around and between huckbolts and in areas where stringers are attached. To date there have been no report of cracks having progressed to failure, however uncorrected this condition could lead to eventual catastrophic failure.
Engineering analysis has determined, however, that cracking within defined limits is not an immediate threat to safe flight if assessed and monitored in accordance with this amendment.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, amended by the Legislative instrument F2006B04006, address the issue of fatigue-induced cracking in the wing carry-through structures of Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) series aeroplanes. Enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, the regulation aims to ensure the continued airworthiness and safety of these aircraft by mandating regular inspections and maintenance procedures to prevent structural failure. The policy objective is to mitigate the risk of catastrophic failure by identifying and managing fatigue cracks within specified limits, thereby maintaining the structural integrity of the affected aircraft components. Compliance with these regulations is critical for operators to adhere to the prescribed inspection intervals, ensuring that any detected cracks are managed appropriately to prevent progression to failure.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, pertains to the inspection requirements for Beechcraft 55, 58 and 95-55 (Baron) Series Aeroplanes. This legislation applies to all operators of these aircraft models within the Commonwealth of Australia. The Act mandates that the wing forward spar carry-through structure, including the forward and aft frames, must be inspected in accordance with Beechcraft Service Bulletin No 2269 Rev 1. Compliance with these inspection protocols is essential to address the known issue of fatigue-induced cracking in the wing's carry-through structure, which poses a risk of catastrophic failure if left unaddressed. The inspection must be completed within 100 hours of time in service after 30 November 1989 or before the aircraft accumulates 1500 hours of total time in service, whichever comes later. Subsequent inspections must adhere to intervals that do not exceed 500 hours of time in service unless cracks are detected, in which case the inspection intervals will be more frequent as specified in the Requirement Document. This directive also references FAA AD 90-08-14, Amendment 39-6563, and acknowledges previous inspections under a prior issue of this Directive as compliant with the current amendment.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, specifically mandate inspections of the wing main spar centre section of Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) series aeroplanes. This directive, AD/BEECH 55/62 Amendment 4, issued in 1990, requires inspections to be carried out in accordance with Beechcraft Service Bulletin No 2269 Rev 1, dated March 1990. This aligns with FAA AD 90-08-14, Amendment 39-6563, and it is applicable as detailed in the Requirement Document. The inspection must be completed within 100 hours of time in service following 30 November 1989 or before the aircraft accumulates 1500 hours of total time in service, whichever comes later. If no cracks are detected, the inspections must be repeated at intervals not exceeding 500 hours of time in service. In the case where cracks are found, the inspection intervals are specified in the Requirement Document, with the condition that crack limits must not be exceeded. Locations that have been repaired or reinforced by the installation of Beech P/N 58-4008 kit or an approved alternative do not need to be inspected before 1500 hours of time in service post-repair. However, areas adjacent to repair doublers remain subject to the specified compliance requirements. Aircraft inspected in accordance with the previous version of this directive are considered to be compliant with this amendment.
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 impose specific obligations on the parties involved, primarily the aircraft operators. Operators must ensure that the inspections are conducted as per the outlined schedule and in accordance with the specified Beechcraft Service Bulletin. This includes performing initial inspections within the defined timeframe, and subsequent inspections at the prescribed intervals. Operators must also ensure that any cracks detected during inspections are within allowable limits, and that repairs or reinforcements are carried out according to the approved schemes. Compliance with these directives is mandatory, and failure to adhere to the stipulated inspection intervals and procedures could result in non-compliance with the regulations.
Failure to comply with the requirements of AD/BEECH 55/62 Amendment 4 can result in civil and criminal consequences. The regulations stipulate that non-compliance with airworthiness directives is an offence, which can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The potential penalties for such offences can include fines and other sanctions as prescribed by the Civil Aviation Act 1988. In severe cases, non-compliance could also result in the grounding of the aircraft, thereby affecting operational activities and potentially leading to significant financial and reputational damage for the operators. The specific penalties, including maximum fines, are detailed in the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and related regulations, ensuring that there are clear repercussions for failing to meet the mandated safety standards.