AD/BEECH 55/82 - Interior Door Handles

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by the Civil Aviation (Safety) Regulations 1998, were enacted to ensure the safety of civil aviation in Australia. These regulations provide the framework for the operation of aircraft, including the maintenance and airworthiness standards to be adhered to. One of the specific airworthiness directives under these regulations is AD/BEECH 55/82, which pertains to the Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) Series Aeroplanes. This directive was introduced to address the problem of cabin and utility door handles opening unintentionally from the interior of the aircraft, a situation that could potentially lead to loss of control due to pilot distraction. The directive requires that door handles be checked and corrected if necessary to ensure they lock properly when rotated clockwise without depressing the lock release button, in accordance with Raytheon Service Bulletin 2693. The objective is to maintain the safety and integrity of the aircraft by preventing such unintentional openings.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the airworthiness of Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) Series Aeroplanes through Airworthiness Directives (AD). AD/BEECH 55/82 pertains to the interior door handles of these aircraft models, requiring a check to ensure the cabin side door handle and utility door handle lock properly when rotated without depressing the lock release button. This applies to all serial numbers of models 95-55, 95A55, 95B55, 95C55, D55, E55, 58, and 58TC. The directive mandates corrective action if the door handle opens the door without the lock release button being depressed, and it stipulates that compliance must be achieved within 50 hours’ time in service after 6 November 1997 or at the next door handle removal after this date, whichever is earlier, and subsequently whenever a utility or cabin interior door handle is removed. This regulation extends to ensuring the aircraft’s safety by preventing unintentional door openings, which could lead to a loss of control due to pilot distraction. The directive is informed by reports of such occurrences and references FAA AD 97-14-15 Amdt 39-10073 for further guidance.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this airworthiness directive, specifically AD/BEECH 55/82, pertain to the interior door handles of Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) series aeroplanes (section 1). It requires an inspection and, if necessary, a correction of the door handles to ensure they lock properly when rotated clockwise without the lock release button being depressed (section 2). This directive applies to all serial numbers of the specified models (section 3). The inspection must be conducted within 50 hours of service after 6 November 1997, or at the next opportunity after this date when the door handle is removed, and then at any time a utility or cabin interior door handle is removed (section 4). The obligations imposed on the parties governed by this directive include ensuring that the cabin side door handle and the utility door handle are checked for proper locking. If the door handle opens the door without the lock release button being depressed, the door handle must be removed and reinstalled as specified in Raytheon Service Bulletin 2693 (section 2(a)). If the door handle is locked and can only be unlocked by depressing the lock release button, no further action is required (section 2(b)). Compliance with these requirements is mandatory, with the directive becoming effective on 6 November 1997 (section 5). Failure to comply with the provisions of this airworthiness directive could lead to potential safety hazards, such as unintentional opening of the cabin side door and the utility door from the interior of the aircraft, which could result in a loss of control caused by the distraction to the pilot. While specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in the text, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally can result in severe consequences, including fines, imprisonment, or other civil or criminal penalties as deemed appropriate under the applicable civil aviation regulations.