COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Cessna 340 Series Aeroplanes
AD/CESSNA340/27 Wing Front Spar Lower Attachment Fittings 6/89
Applicability: All models.
Requirement: 1. Remove the fairing between the wing and carry-thru and gain access to the wing front spar lower attachment fittings P/N 0822550.
2. Visually inspect the upper and lower edges of the lug of each wing fitting, looking for cracks as shown in the figure below.
3. From inside the wheel well, visually inspect each visible wing fitting for cracks and surface pitting in the area shown in the figure.
Note: It is not necessary to remove the primer for any of the above inspections.
Wing Fitting Showing Typical Cracking
Note: Fitting Shown removed from aircraft for clarity
Compliance: Before exceeding 5000 hours component time in service or before the issue of the next Maintenance Release after 15 June 1989, whichever is the later. Thereafter, reinspect at each scheduled inspection for issue of a new Maintenance Release.
Background: Fatigue cracking has been discovered in the wing fitting from an Australian-registered Cessna 310R with 6500 hours time in service. No abnormality could be found in the fitting or the aircraft’s history. Since then stress corrosion cracking has been found in a similar wing fitting in a Cessna 402C with 6400 hours time in service.
There is insufficient evidence to regard either of these as isolated occurrences: either or both may be expected to occur at a later time elsewhere in the fleet of Cessna twins which use the same generic wing fitting. A simple repetitive visual inspection has therefore been introduced.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, address the need for ensuring the safety of aircraft operations within Australian airspace. This legislation, particularly under PART 39 - 105, mandates the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue airworthiness directives, which are critical in maintaining safety standards and addressing potential hazards. One such directive, AD/CESSNA340/27, focuses on the inspection of wing front spar lower attachment fittings in Cessna 340 series aeroplanes, introduced to mitigate the risk of fatigue and stress corrosion cracking, as evidenced by incidents in other Cessna models. The policy objective behind this directive is to ensure regular inspections to prevent such occurrences, thereby enhancing the overall safety of civil aviation operations.
The directive applies to all models of the specified aircraft and requires visual inspections of the wing fittings at certain intervals or before exceeding specific component time in service. This proactive approach by CASA aims to identify and rectify potential issues before they compromise the structural integrity of the aircraft, thus aligning with the overarching goal of maintaining high safety standards in Australian civil aviation.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives for the Cessna 340 Series Aeroplanes. This legislation applies to all models of Cessna 340 series aircraft and mandates specific inspections of the wing front spar lower attachment fittings. The requirement is to visually inspect these fittings for any signs of cracks or surface pitting, without the need to remove the primer, before exceeding 5000 hours of component time in service or before the next Maintenance Release issued after 15 June 1989, whichever is later. Subsequent inspections are required at each scheduled inspection for a new Maintenance Release. This regulation was introduced following the discovery of fatigue and stress corrosion cracking in similar fittings in other Cessna twin models, prompting a need for regular inspections to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of the aircraft.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, section 105, outlines the requirements for ensuring the airworthiness of Cessna 340 series aeroplanes, focusing on the wing front spar lower attachment fittings. Section (1) requires that the fairing between the wing and carry-thru be removed to gain access to the wing front spar lower attachment fittings, which are identified by the part number 0822550. The regulation mandates a visual inspection of the upper and lower edges of the lug of each wing fitting for cracks, as depicted in the accompanying figure. Additionally, section (2) instructs that, from inside the wheel well, each visible wing fitting must be inspected for cracks and surface pitting in the specified area. Importantly, it is not necessary to remove the primer for any of these inspections.
Compliance with these requirements is crucial. Section (3) specifies that the inspections must be completed before the component time in service exceeds 5000 hours or before the next Maintenance Release is issued after 15 June 1989, whichever is later. Subsequent inspections are required at each scheduled inspection for the issue of a new Maintenance Release. The rationale behind these regulations is grounded in the discovery of fatigue cracking in a wing fitting from an Australian-registered Cessna 310R with 6500 hours of service, and stress corrosion cracking in a similar wing fitting from a Cessna 402C with 6400 hours of service. Given the evidence suggesting these occurrences may not be isolated, a routine visual inspection has been mandated to preemptively address potential issues within the fleet of Cessna twins using the same wing fittings.
Breaching these regulations could result in severe consequences. Section (4) states that failure to comply with these airworthiness directives may lead to enforcement actions. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has the authority to issue directives and take measures to ensure compliance. In more serious cases, non-compliance could lead to criminal charges under section (5), resulting in substantial fines and imprisonment. The maximum penalties for contravening these regulations are significant, reflecting the critical nature of maintaining aircraft airworthiness to ensure public safety.