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/EC 120/10 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.
Eurocopter EC 120 Series Helicopters
AD/EC 120/10
Amdt 1
Flight Control Stop Screws 9/2004
Applicability: Model EC 120 B helicopters; delivered before 30 June 2003.
Components affected: roll, pitch, and collective flight control stops.
Requirement: 1. Action in accordance with paragraph 2.B.1. of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin EC 120 No. 67A010 R2.
2. Action in accordance with paragraph 2.B.2. of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin EC 120 No. 67A010 R2.
Note: DGAC AD F-2003-322 R1 refers.
Compliance: 1. Within 100 flight hours after 30 October 2003, unless already accomplished.
2. Within 500 flight hours or 1 year after 30 October 2003, whichever occurs first. The compliance time remains unchanged by this issue.
This Amendment becomes effective on 2 September 2004.
Background: A report was received of an incident during a ground run-up with a Model EC 120 helicopter, where it was possible to push the collective lever downward beyond it’s normal position. Investigation revealed that the locknut of the low pitch stop had come loose and that the stop was out of adjustment. The worst case scenario is that of collective low pitch stop maladjustment, which can result in rotor under-speed in an auto-rotation situation.
Amendment 1 is issued in response to a revision of the related DGAC AD, which introduces a revised Requirement document with no change to the technical content.
Eurocopter EC 120 Series Helicopters
AD/EC 120/10 Amdt 1 (continued)
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 30 October 2003.
David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 13 July 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 11 August 2004.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority Amendment Instrument 2004 (F2006B09306) was enacted in 2004 to address the issue of potential unsafe conditions in Eurocopter EC 120 Series Helicopters. This legislation was introduced in response to an incident where a collective lever could be pushed beyond its normal position during a ground run-up, indicating a potential risk during flight operations. The Australian Parliament authorised the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue this Airworthiness Directive, with the policy objective of ensuring the continued airworthiness of the affected aircraft by mandating specific maintenance actions. CASA's delegate, David Villiers, issued this directive to require corrective actions for the flight control stop screws of the Eurocopter EC 120 Series helicopters, aligning with the safety recommendations provided by Eurocopter. This amendment was designed to mitigate the risks associated with maladjusted flight control stops, which could lead to rotor under-speed in critical situations.
Scope and Application
This Airworthiness Directive applies specifically to the Model EC 120 B helicopters manufactured by Eurocopter and delivered before 30 June 2003. The directive mandates that certain actions be taken to ensure the safety of these helicopters, specifically addressing issues with the roll, pitch, and collective flight control stops. These actions are to be carried out in accordance with detailed instructions outlined in the Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin EC 120 No. 67A010 R2. Compliance with the directive is mandatory and must be achieved within specified timeframes: either within 100 flight hours following 30 October 2003 or within 500 flight hours or 1 year from the same date, whichever comes first. This legislative instrument is enacted under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and pertains to the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring that all relevant operators and maintenance personnel comply with the set safety standards.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/EC 120/10 Amdt 1, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate David Villiers on 13 July 2004, targets the EC 120 B series helicopters delivered before 30 June 2003 (Section 1). This directive mandates specific actions to address the unsafe conditions identified with the roll, pitch, and collective flight control stops of these helicopters. The directive requires compliance with paragraphs 2.B.1 and 2.B.2 of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin EC 120 No. 67A010 R2, referencing DGAC AD F-2003-322 R1 (Section 2).
Entities governed by this AD must adhere to the specified actions within strict timelines to ensure compliance. The primary action must be completed within 100 flight hours after 30 October 2003, unless it has already been accomplished. Additionally, the second action must be completed within 500 flight hours or 1 year after 30 October 2003, whichever comes first (Section 3). This directive ensures that the safety measures are implemented in a timely manner to mitigate any potential risks associated with the identified unsafe conditions.
Failure to comply with the requirements set out in this AD can result in significant consequences. The directive does not explicitly state penalties or legal consequences for non-compliance, but non-compliance could potentially lead to aircraft being deemed unsafe to operate, resulting in grounding or other enforcement actions by CASA. Compliance is critical to maintaining the airworthiness of the affected helicopters and ensuring the safety of all operations involving these aircraft.