AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/DHC -8/78 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 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.
Bombardier (Boeing Canada/de Havilland) DHC-8 Series Aeroplanes
AD/DHC-8/78
Amdt 1
Elevator Stop Bumper 3/2003 DM
Applicability: DHC-8 aircraft, Models 102, 103, 106, 201, 202, 301, 311, 314, and 315, with serial numbers 003 and subsequent.
Requirement: Amend the Transport Canada approved maintenance schedule by revising the replacement interval for the elevator stop bumpers (task no. 2730/22) as introduced by Temporary Revision (TR) of Airworthiness Limitations List (AWL) of the DHC-8 Maintenance Program Manuals specified below:
DHC-8 Models | Maintenance Program Manual | Temporary Revision |
102, 103, 106 | PSM 1-8-7 | TR AWL-84 |
201, 202 | PSM 1-82-7 | TR AWL 2-24 |
301, 311, 314, 315 | PSM 1-83-7 | TR AWL 3-91 |
Note: Transport Canada AD CF-2001-08R1 refers.
Compliance: Within 30 days after 22 January 2003.
The phase- in schedule for those elevator stop bumpers that have accumulated more than 5,000 flight hours or more than 30 months as at 22 January 2003 is as follows:
Replace the elevator stop bumpers within 6 months or 1,000 flight hours after 22 January 2003.
This Amendment becomes effective on 22 January 2003.
Background: There was one reported incident where a DHC-8 aircraft experienced an elevator trim problem in flight due to a broken or missing elevator stop bumper. Investigation revealed that failure of the elevator stop bumper could lead to an elevator over-travel and damage to the elevator trailing edge if it impacts the top portion of the rudder.
The damaged elevator can then jam the spring tab, which could result in reduced controllability of the aircraft. This Directive introduces a life limit for the elevator stop bumper.
Bombardier (Boeing Canada/de Havilland) DHC-8 Series Aeroplanes
AD/DHC-8/78 Amdt 1 (continued)
Amendment 1 is issued in response to a revision of the related Transport Canada AD, which lowers the life limit for the elevator stop bumpers. This action is due to reports of elevator stop bumpers deteriorating prior to the current mandated life limit.
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 17 May 2001.
David Alan Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 16 January 2003
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 22 January 2003.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/DHC-8/78 Amdt 1, effective 22 January 2003, to address safety concerns with the elevator stop bumpers on Bombardier (Boeing Canada/de Havilland) DHC-8 Series Aeroplanes. This AD applies to DHC-8 aircraft of specific models with serial numbers 003 and subsequent, and requires the amendment of the Transport Canada approved maintenance schedule to revise the replacement interval for the elevator stop bumpers. The directive responds to an incident where an elevator trim problem in flight was caused by a broken or missing elevator stop bumper, which could lead to elevator over-travel, damage to the elevator trailing edge, and reduced controllability of the aircraft. The AD was introduced in response to a revision of the related Transport Canada AD, which lowered the life limit for the elevator stop bumpers due to reports of deterioration prior to the current mandated life limit. The policy objective of this AD is to enhance the safety of DHC-8 aircraft by ensuring the timely replacement of elevator stop bumpers.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/DHC-8/78 Amdt 1 applies specifically to Bombardier (Boeing Canada/de Havilland) DHC-8 Series Aeroplanes, including Models 102, 103, 106, 201, 202, 301, 311, 314, and 315, with serial numbers 003 and subsequent. This AD mandates the revision of the maintenance schedule concerning the replacement interval for the elevator stop bumpers, aligning with the Transport Canada approved schedule. The directive is intended to address the unsafe condition identified where the failure of elevator stop bumpers could result in an elevator over-travel, potentially leading to damage and impaired controllability of the aircraft. The AD applies nationwide across Australia, as it is issued under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Compliance with the AD is mandatory, with a requirement to revise the maintenance schedule within 30 days from 22 January 2003, and a phase-in schedule for replacement of elevator stop bumpers based on flight hours and time elapsed since the initial directive. This AD extends its application through the specified Transport Canada approved manuals and their temporary revisions, ensuring that the required changes are implemented uniformly across the affected aircraft.
Key Provisions
This Airworthiness Directive (AD) pertains specifically to Bombardier (Boeing Canada/de Havilland) DHC-8 Series aeroplanes, specifically Models 102, 103, 106, 201, 202, 301, 311, 314, and 315, with serial numbers 003 and higher (Section 3). The requirement of this AD is to modify the Transport Canada-approved maintenance schedule by altering the replacement interval for the elevator stop bumpers (task number 2730/22), as introduced by the Temporary Revision (TR) of the Airworthiness Limitations List (AWL) in the DHC-8 Maintenance Program Manuals (Section 4). This requirement applies to all specified models and their respective maintenance manuals and temporary revisions (Section 4).
The obligations under this AD necessitate that the affected aircraft operators adhere to the amended maintenance schedule. This includes revising the replacement intervals for the elevator stop bumpers as detailed in the requirement section. Operators must ensure that these changes are implemented within the compliance period, which is 30 days from the date of the AD, being 22 January 2003 (Section 5). This action is crucial to address the safety concern identified, which is the potential for elevator over-travel and subsequent damage due to a broken or missing elevator stop bumper.
Failure to comply with this AD could result in severe consequences, including potential flight safety risks. While the AD does not explicitly detail specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences, non-compliance with airworthiness directives in general is considered a serious breach under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations. Such non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions, including fines, suspension or revocation of aircraft operating certificates, or other regulatory penalties. The severity of the penalty would depend on the extent of non-compliance and the resulting risk to flight safety.