AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/CESSNA 205/22 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CASR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.
Cessna 205 (210-5) Series Aeroplanes
AD/CESSNA 205/22
Amdt 1
Horizontal Stabilizer Front Spar 9/2004
Applicability: All models of Cessna 205 aircraft.
Requirement: Visually inspect the front and rear faces of horizontal stabilizer front spar assembly centre section for cracks around the cut-out in the front spar web. Refer to Figure 1 below. Any cracks in the front spar web must be repaired before further flight, and a defect report must be submitted.
Note 1: Access can be achieved by the removal of the fillet fairing. The front face of the front spar is easily seen. The rear face may be seen via a hole in the upper surface of the horizontal stabilizer using an inspection mirror and torch.
Note 2: This inspection may require some experimenting with lights and mirrors to obtain some certainty in the results of the inspection. The inspection would be much easier to conduct with the use of a borescope.
Cessna 205 (210-5) Series Aeroplanes
AD/CESSNA 205/22 Amdt 1 (continued)
Compliance: a. For aircraft with less than 10000 hours time in service, inspect before exceeding 10000 hours total time in service, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 110 hours time in service.
b. For aircraft with 10000 or more hours time in service, inspect before 18 March 2002, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 110 hours time in service.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 6 March 2002.
Background: Reports have been received of cracking of the horizontal stabilizer front spar on Australian registered Cessna 210s. Both front and rear spars must be serviceable for the horizontal stabilizer to carry ultimate load. The front spar forms part of the horizontal stabilizer’s primary load path, and loss of strength in this area could be catastrophic.
It should be noted that this Airworthiness Directive mandates an inspection requirement already stated in the manufacturer’s maintenance data.
This amendment is issued to increase the recurrent compliance interval from 100 hours to 110 hours time in service to allow the inspections required by this Airworthiness Directive to be aligned with scheduled maintenance.
David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 23 July 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 11 August 2004.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority Act 1998, enacted by the Australian Parliament, established a framework for ensuring the safety of civil aviation in Australia. This legislation empowers the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue Airworthiness Directives (ADs) to address identified safety issues. The AD/CESSNA 205/22 Amendment 1, issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, targets the critical issue of cracking in the horizontal stabilizer front spar of Cessna 205 aircraft. This problem was identified following reports of such damage on Australian registered Cessna 210s, which could potentially compromise the aircraft's structural integrity and lead to catastrophic failure. The AD mandates specific visual inspections at prescribed intervals to detect and rectify any cracks, aligning the inspection schedule with routine maintenance to streamline compliance. The objective of this directive is to maintain the airworthiness of affected aircraft and ensure the safety of all persons on board.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CASR) applies specifically to all models of Cessna 205 aircraft, which are registered and operated within the Commonwealth of Australia. This legislation, which mandates particular maintenance actions to ensure the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft, extends its application to any aircraft meeting the specified criteria, irrespective of the operator or entity. The directive is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and serves to address a known safety issue concerning the horizontal stabilizer front spar of the Cessna 205 aircraft, as identified through reports of cracking in this critical component. The directive specifies a requirement for visual inspection of the front and rear faces of the horizontal stabilizer front spar assembly centre section for any cracks around the cut-out in the front spar web, with particular emphasis on inspections before and after certain milestones in the aircraft’s service hours. This requirement applies irrespective of the operator, but it does not exempt any aircraft from the stipulated inspections. The directive further details specific compliance intervals for inspections based on the total time in service of the aircraft, ensuring regular checks are conducted to maintain safety standards.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) applies to all models of Cessna 205 aircraft (Applicability section). The key requirement of this AD is that the front and rear faces of the horizontal stabilizer front spar assembly centre section must be visually inspected for any cracks around the cut-out in the front spar web (Requirement section). This inspection should be conducted before exceeding 10000 hours of total time in service for aircraft with less than 10000 hours, and before 18 March 2002 for aircraft with 10000 or more hours. Thereafter, the inspection must be performed at intervals not exceeding 110 hours of total time in service (Compliance section).
The AD mandates that any cracks found in the front spar web must be repaired before further flight, and a defect report must be submitted (Requirement section). Access to the inspection area can be achieved by removing the fillet fairing, and a borescope may be used to facilitate the inspection process (Notes section). The AD becomes effective on 6 March 2002, as per the notification in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 11 August 2004.
Entities governed by this AD, including aircraft owners, operators, and maintenance personnel, must ensure compliance with the inspection requirements set out in the AD. This involves conducting the specified inspections at the prescribed intervals and intervals, repairing any identified defects, and submitting the required defect reports. Failure to comply with these obligations may result in safety risks and potential regulatory consequences.
Breaches of this Airworthiness Directive may result in enforcement actions by CASA, including administrative penalties, legal proceedings, or other regulatory measures. The specific penalties and consequences for non-compliance are not explicitly stated in the AD but may include fines, suspension of aircraft certificates, or other appropriate sanctions as determined by CASA. It is crucial for all parties involved to adhere to the AD to maintain the airworthiness and safety of the affected Cessna 205 aircraft.