COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Cessna 400 Series Aeroplanes
AD/CESSNA 400/100
Amdt 4
Inlet Fuel Valve Assembly 7/95
Applicability: All Cessna 402C S/N 402C0001 thru 402C1020 and 402C689, 404 S/N 404-0001 thru 404-0859, 414A S/N 414A0001 thru 414A1212 and 421C 412C0001 thru
421C1807 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 TAKEOFFS 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 3 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, enacted by the Australian Government, aim to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation within Australia. As part of this, Part 39 specifically addresses airworthiness directives for various aircraft, including the Cessna 400 series aeroplanes. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) administers these regulations. One such airworthiness directive, AD/CESSNA 400/100 Amendment 4, was introduced to address a critical safety concern related to the inlet fuel valve assembly in specific Cessna 400 series aircraft. This directive was necessitated by the suspected failure of a fuel inlet valve, which was thought to have contributed to a fatal accident involving a Cessna 402C aircraft overseas. The policy objective is to enhance flight safety by mandating specific maintenance actions, such as installing a placard prohibiting rolling turning takeoffs and adhering to particular service bulletins. Compliance with these directives is crucial for maintaining the airworthiness of the affected aircraft.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, encompasses a range of safety directives applicable to various aircraft, with a particular focus in this case on Cessna 400 Series aeroplanes. The regulation mandates specific safety measures and actions for the operators and maintainers of specified serial number ranges of Cessna 402C, 404, 414A, and 421C aircraft. This directive is intended to mitigate the risk of accidents caused by the failure to seal of the fuel inlet valve, as evidenced by a fatal incident involving a Cessna 402C aircraft overseas. The requirement includes the manufacture and installation of a placard within the pilot's clear view on the instrument panel, prohibiting rolling turning takeoffs, as well as adherence to the instructions outlined in the Cessna Service Bulletin MEB93-10 Revision 1. Compliance with these directives is crucial, with a specific compliance date set by 25 June 1995, and a revised effective date of 22 June 1995. The regulation also provides for alternate means of compliance, such as following FAA AD 93-05-03, and retains Cessna MEB 92-13 as an inspection document following the issuance of Revision 1. This legislation is binding across the Commonwealth of Australia, overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of this Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (AD) focus on safety measures for certain Cessna 400 Series aeroplanes. Specifically, section 1 mandates the creation and installation of a placard within the pilot’s clear view on the instrument panel. This placard must contain the words "ROLLING TURNING TAKEOFFS ARE PROHIBITED" in letters that are 3.0 mm in height. The second requirement, detailed in section 2, directs compliance with Revision 1 of Cessna Service Bulletin MEB93-10. These sections aim to address safety concerns related to the inlet fuel valve assembly.
The obligations imposed by this AD require all affected aircraft, namely the Cessna 402C S/N 402C0001 through 402C1020 and 402C689, the 404 S/N 404-0001 through 404-0859, the 414A S/N 414A0001 through 414A1212, and the 421C S/N 412C0001 through 421C1807, to implement the specified measures by certain dates. Owners and operators must ensure that the placard is manufactured and installed as directed by 25 June 1995. Additionally, compliance with the Service Bulletin MEB93-10 Revision 1 must be achieved by the revised effective date of 22 June 1995. The AD also includes a specific note advising maintenance staff to remove and inspect any valve that fails to close during functional testing if it requires an outside stimulus to close.
Failure to adhere to the provisions of this AD can lead to serious consequences. Non-compliance with the requirements set forth in the AD could potentially result in unsafe operating conditions, which may lead to accidents or incidents. The AD does not explicitly state specific penalties or consequences for non-compliance; however, given the nature of aviation safety regulations, significant penalties could be imposed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. These penalties might include fines, suspension of the aircraft’s airworthiness certificate, or other enforcement actions deemed necessary to ensure compliance and maintain safety standards.