AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 Wing Bolt, Nut and Fitting

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au F2021L00436 Not in force Legislative Instrument

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Explanatory Statement

Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998

AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 — Wing Bolt, Nut and Fitting

Legislation

Under section 98 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (the Act), the Governor-General may make regulations for the purpose of carrying out and giving effect to the provisions of the Convention on International Civil Aviation relating to safety, amongst other things. Under regulation 39.001 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) may issue an airworthiness directive (AD) for a kind of aircraft or aeronautical product. Under subsections 98 (5B) and (5BA) of the Act, an AD is a legislative instrument unless it is expressed to apply in relation to a particular person, a particular aircraft or a particular aeronautical product.

Subsection 98 (5D) of the Act provides that a legislative instrument made under the Act or the regulations may apply, adopt or incorporate any matter contained in any instrument or other writing as in force or existing from time to time, even if the other instrument or writing does not yet exist when the legislative instrument is made.

Under subsection 33 (3) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, where an Act confers a power to make, grant or issue any instrument of a legislative or administrative character (including rules, regulations or by-laws), the power shall be construed as including a power exercisable in the like manner and subject to the like conditions (if any) to repeal, rescind, revoke, amend, or vary any such instrument.

Under Annex 8 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the State of Design has overall responsibility for continuing airworthiness of an aircraft type, and must provide any information necessary to ensure the continuing airworthiness of a type to appropriate States of Registry. ADs (and their equivalents) are the most common form of continuing airworthiness information, and are issued by most International Civil Aviation Organization Contracting States.

The State of Registry of an individual aircraft is responsible for its continuing airworthiness. Under Annex 8, the State of Registry must develop or adopt requirements to ensure the continuing airworthiness of aircraft.

CASA issued AD/BEECH 55/79 to correct an unsafe condition related to wing bolt nuts and fittings on Textron Aviation (formerly Beechcraft) 55, 58 and 95-55 series aircraft in 1996. The State of Design for these types, the United States of America Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has not yet taken action to correct this unsafe condition. CASA subsequently issued AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 1 to update the revision status of the Beech 55 Shop Manual in 2000 and AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 2 in 2002 to add an explanatory note to the Requirement section and add additional fittings to the parts requiring inspection. Following a CASA review of the AD, it has been determined that an alternate means of compliance (AMOC) previously approved by CASA does not provide the same level of detection of cracks in the wing attachment bolts and nuts as the inspection requirements issued by the aircraft manufacturer. Consequently, CASA has issued AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 to remove the use of the AMOC and retain the existing requirement for inspections to be carried out in accordance with the aircraft manufacturer’s instructions. AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 does not change the requirements of the previous airworthiness directive but has amended the compliance times to minimise the impact on aircraft that did not use the AMOC. This AD repeals and replaces the previous AD on this subject.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

Beechcraft Baron Shop Manual 55-590000-13 Revision E17 and Baron Maintenance Manual 102-590000-5 Revision A23, are incorporated by reference in the AD. For subsection 98 (5D) of the Act, the technical documents are incorporated as they exist on the date of commencement of this AD.

The technical documents incorporated into this AD, are not freely available, and are proprietary, copyright, fee-for-service documents, prepared on a commercial basis. They can be purchased from the aircraft or component manufacturer by subscription.

As a matter of practicality, it would not be possible for aircraft operators to operate aircraft in Australian and foreign airspace without having their own subscription access to relevant technical documents of the aircraft or engine manufacturer. Nevertheless, as a current subscriber for the documents, CASA will make the relevant sections of the incorporated technical documents available, in its Canberra or regional offices, by arrangement, and, in keeping with the proprietary nature of the documents, for viewing only, to any aircraft operator who is affected by the direction instrument, or to any interested person.

Consultation

CASA consulted with the public via publication of proposed AD PAD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 which was open for comments for an eight week consultation period.

Regulation Impact Statement

A Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) is not required because ADs are covered by a standing agreement between CASA and the Office of Best Practice Regulation under which a RIS is not required for ADs (OBPR id. 14507).

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

A Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights is at Attachment 1.


Making and commencement

The instrument has been made by a delegate of CASA relying on the power of delegation under subregulation 11.260 (1) of CASR and subsection 94 (1) of the Act.

The instrument commences on 10 May 2021.

[Instrument number AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3]


Attachment 1

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the
Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011

AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 – Wing Bolt, Nut and Fitting

This legislative instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

Overview of the legislative instrument

CASA issued AD/BEECH 55/79 to correct an unsafe condition related to wing bolt nuts and fittings on Textron Aviation (formerly Beechcraft) 55, 58 and 95-55 series aircraft in 1996. The State of Design for these types, the United States of America Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has not yet taken action to correct this unsafe condition. CASA subsequently issued AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 1 to update the revision status of the Beech 55 Shop Manual in 2000 and AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 2 in 2002 to add an explanatory note to the Requirement section and add additional fittings to the parts requiring inspection. Following a CASA review of the AD, it has been determined that an alternate means of compliance (AMOC) previously approved by CASA does not provide the same level of detection of cracks in the wing attachment bolts and nuts as the inspection requirements issued by the aircraft manufacturer. Consequently, CASA has issued AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 to prohibit the use of the AMOC and retain the existing requirement for inspections to be carried out in accordance with the aircraft manufacturer’s instructions. AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 does not change the requirements of the previous airworthiness directive but has amended the compliance times to minimise the impact on aircraft that did not use the AMOC.

The primary purpose of this legislative instrument is to prohibit the use of an alternative means of compliance that was found not to have the same level of crack detection as required by the airworthiness directive.

Human rights implications

This legislative instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms.

Conclusion

This legislative instrument is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority

Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, serve to implement safety regulations in line with the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The primary problem this legislation addresses is ensuring the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products in Australia, in accordance with international standards. Under section 98 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988, the Governor-General has the authority to make regulations for implementing these safety provisions. The policy objective is to maintain and enhance aviation safety, thereby protecting the public from the risks associated with civil aviation activities. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is responsible for issuing airworthiness directives, which are essential for maintaining aircraft safety standards. This is evident in the issuance of AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3, which aims to correct an unsafe condition in certain aircraft models by revising inspection requirements to ensure better detection of potential cracks in wing attachment bolts and nuts. This amendment seeks to align compliance measures with the manufacturer's specifications, ensuring safety without unduly burdening aircraft operators.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, as amended by AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3, apply to all aircraft operators, maintenance organisations, and aviation personnel within Australia who are responsible for ensuring the airworthiness of Textron Aviation (formerly Beechcraft) 55, 58, and 95-55 series aircraft. This airworthiness directive specifically targets the unsafe condition related to wing bolt nuts and fittings, aiming to ensure compliance with safety standards set forth by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The regulations extend to all aircraft of the specified types registered in Australia, irrespective of their location within the country. The directive is a legislative instrument under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, and it incorporates technical documents by reference, which are made available to affected parties upon request. The AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 repeals and replaces previous directives on the same subject, prohibiting the use of an alternate means of compliance previously approved by CASA, and mandates inspections to be carried out in accordance with the aircraft manufacturer’s instructions.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 focus on ensuring the continued airworthiness of specific aircraft models by addressing an unsafe condition related to wing bolt nuts and fittings. The amendment removes an alternative means of compliance (AMOC) previously approved by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) because it was found not to provide the same level of crack detection as required by the original airworthiness directive (AD). This directive mandates that inspections must be carried out in accordance with the aircraft manufacturer's instructions. Section 98 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 authorises the Governor-General to make regulations for the purpose of carrying out and giving effect to the provisions of the Convention on International Civil Aviation relating to safety. Regulation 39.001 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 further empowers CASA to issue airworthiness directives for specific types of aircraft or aeronautical products. This particular amendment to AD/BEECH 55/79 is designed to correct an unsafe condition identified in Textron Aviation (formerly Beechcraft) 55, 58, and 95-55 series aircraft. The AD imposes specific obligations on the parties or entities it governs. Aircraft operators, including owners and maintenance personnel, must adhere to the inspection requirements outlined in the Beechcraft Baron Shop Manual 55-590000-13 Revision E17 and the Baron Maintenance Manual 102-590000-5 Revision A23. These technical documents, which are incorporated by reference in the AD, detail the necessary procedures and specifications for ensuring the aircraft's continued airworthiness. CASA, as the regulatory authority, must ensure that these directives are effectively communicated and implemented to maintain the safety standards of the aircraft operating in Australian airspace. Failure to comply with the provisions of AD/BEECH 55/79 Amdt 3 may result in civil or criminal penalties. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the provided explanatory statement, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally can lead to significant consequences, including fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, and potential criminal charges for operators who knowingly allow unsafe aircraft to fly. The seriousness of these consequences underscores the importance of adhering to the regulatory requirements set forth by CASA to ensure the safety of all aviation activities.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.