COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Cessna T303 Series Aeroplanes
AD/CESSNA 303/11
Amdt 3
Inlet Fuel Valve Assembly 7/95
Applicability: All Cessna T303 S/N T30300001 thru T30300315 series aircraft.
Requirement: 1. Unless previously carried out manufacture a placard with the following words in letters at 3.0 mm in height “ROLLING TURNING TAKE-OFFS ARE PROHIBITED”. Install this placard within the pilot’s clear view on the instrument panel.
2. Action in accordance with Cessna Service Bulletin MEB93-10 Revision 1. Compliance: 1. By 25 June 1995.
2. As specified in the Requirement Document with a revised effective date of 22 June 1995.
Note: If any valve fails to close during functional testing and an outside stimulus is used to close the valve, such as thumping or bumping the wing near the valve, then the valve has failed the functional test and should be removed and inspected prior to further flight.
Background: The failure to seal of a fuel inlet valve is suspected to have caused the fatal accident of an overseas Cessna 402C aircraft. Amendment 2 was raised in sequence to advise maintenance staff that Cessna MEB92-13 was being retained as the inspection document following issue of Cessna MEB 92-13 Revision 1. Also that FAA AD 93- 05-03 was an alternate means of compliance. This amendment mandates compliance with Revision 1 of Cessna MEB 93-10.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, was enacted to ensure the safety and airworthiness of aircraft operating within Australia. The Regulations are administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and aim to maintain the highest standards of aviation safety, including the issuance of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) that address specific safety concerns. One such AD, AD/CESSNA 303/11 Amendment 3, was introduced in response to a safety issue identified with the inlet fuel valve assembly of Cessna T303 Series Aeroplanes. This amendment was prompted by a suspected failure of a fuel inlet valve, which was believed to have contributed to a fatal accident involving a Cessna 402C aircraft. The directive requires the installation of a specific placard within the pilot’s clear view on the instrument panel and mandates compliance with particular service bulletins and functional testing procedures to ensure the safety of the aircraft during rolling turning take-offs.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to airworthiness directives for aircraft within the Australian jurisdiction, enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This legislation applies to all Cessna T303 Series aeroplanes with serial numbers ranging from T30300001 to T30300315. The directive mandates the installation of a placard on the instrument panel stating "ROLLING TURNING TAKE-OFFS ARE PROHIBITED" and adherence to the instructions detailed in the Cessna Service Bulletin MEB93-10 Revision 1. Compliance with these directives is required by 25 June 1995, with an effective date of 22 June 1995, as specified in the requirement document. Additionally, the regulation includes a critical note advising that if the fuel inlet valve fails to close during functional testing, it must be inspected prior to further flight. This directive follows the suspected cause of a fatal accident involving a similar aircraft model overseas, ensuring safety measures are rigorously implemented to prevent recurrence.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, Section 105, includes a Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (AD) that pertain to various aircraft, including the Cessna T303 series aeroplanes. The relevant AD for the Cessna T303 series is AD/CESSNA 303/11 Amendment 3, which addresses the inlet fuel valve assembly (1). The directive applies to all Cessna T303 aircraft with serial numbers ranging from T30300001 to T30300315 (1). The key requirements outlined in this directive include the installation of a placard within the pilot’s clear view on the instrument panel, stating in 3.0 mm height letters "ROLLING TURNING TAKE-OFFS ARE PROHIBITED" (1). Additionally, the directive mandates compliance with the actions detailed in the Cessna Service Bulletin MEB93-10 Revision 1 (1).
The obligations imposed by this directive are clear and specific. All affected aircraft must have the mandated placard installed by 25 June 1995, ensuring that pilots are visibly reminded of the prohibition against rolling turning take-offs (1). Furthermore, maintenance staff must adhere to the procedures outlined in the Cessna Service Bulletin MEB93-10 Revision 1, with a revised effective date of 22 June 1995 (2). This includes conducting functional tests on the fuel inlet valves, where any valve that fails to close during testing, even if it closes upon an external stimulus such as thumping or bumping the wing, must be removed and inspected before any further flight (1).
Failure to comply with the provisions of this AD may result in serious consequences. While the specific civil or criminal penalties are not detailed within this legislative instrument, non-compliance with ADs generally can lead to severe repercussions, including potential grounding of the aircraft and significant financial penalties. The directive itself highlights the importance of adhering to these safety measures, given the suspected link between valve failure and a fatal accident involving another Cessna model (Background). The overarching aim is to prevent similar incidents by ensuring that all aircraft maintain strict adherence to the specified safety protocols.