Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, enacted in 1998, are designed to ensure the safety of civil aviation within Australia. These regulations were introduced to address the need for comprehensive safety standards and procedures in the civil aviation sector, thereby reducing the risk of accidents and incidents. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the body responsible for issuing Airworthiness Directives under these regulations, with the overarching policy objective of maintaining and enhancing aviation safety through regulatory oversight and enforcement. One such directive, AD/EMB-120/34, issued in April 2003, pertains to the Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia Series aeroplanes, focusing on the installation or inspection of the fuelling control panel access door ramp to prevent unsafe fuel transfer during flight. This directive was enacted to mitigate risks associated with damaged fuel control panel access door ramps, which had been implicated in instances of unintended fuel transfer between tanks.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive AD/EMB-120/34 issued under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 applies specifically to Embraer EMB-120 (Brasilia) Series aeroplanes, targeting those with serial numbers 120003, 120004, and 120006 through 120358. This directive is a regulatory mandate issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address safety concerns identified in these aircraft models. It requires the installation or replacement of the fuelling control panel access door ramp in accordance with Embraer Service Bulletin No. 120-57-0038, and mandates inspections and modifications to prevent fuel transfer issues that may arise due to damaged or faulty ramps. The directive stipulates that the required actions must be completed within 1,200 flight hours or 8 calendar months from 17 April 2003, whichever occurs first. The directive was made effective on 17 April 2003 and was subsequently published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 26 March 2003.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CARS) include a specific Airworthiness Directive (AD) under Part 39-105 (section 39.1) aimed at ensuring the safety of Embraer EMB-120 (Brasilia) Series Aeroplanes. This AD, numbered AD/EMB-120/34, mandates certain actions regarding the fuelling control panel access door. The AD applies to specific EMB-120 aircraft, serial numbers ranging from 120003 to 120006 and from 120006 to 120358 (section Applicability). The directive requires that aircraft that do not have the ramp on the fuelling control panel access door must have it installed and corresponding modifications made to the door. For aircraft already equipped with the ramp, a visual inspection must be performed to check for dents, cracks, scratches, or corrosion. If the ramp is in good condition, modifications to the door must be carried out; if the ramp is damaged, it must be replaced with a serviceable one, and the modifications to the door must then be performed (section Requirement). This process is to be carried out in accordance with Embraer Service Bulletin No. 120-57-0038. The AD imposes obligations on aircraft operators and owners to ensure that the specified modifications are carried out within the stipulated timeframe. Specifically, these modifications must be completed within 1,200 flight hours or 8 calendar months from 17 April 2003, whichever comes first (section Compliance). This directive became effective on 17 April 2003, and it references a previous directive, CTA AD 2002-12-02 Amdt 39-971, which provides additional context and background regarding the safety issues that led to the issuance of this AD. Compliance with this AD is critical to prevent unsafe conditions that could lead to fuel transfer issues during flight, such as defuel valves remaining in the open position and damage to the fuel control panel access door ramps. Failure to comply with the AD may result in serious safety hazards, potentially leading to accidents or incidents during flight. Although the CARS do not explicitly detail specific penalties for non-compliance with ADs, non-compliance with aviation safety regulations can lead to severe civil or criminal consequences under other related Australian laws. This may include fines, prosecution, and potential grounding of the aircraft until the required modifications are made. The seriousness of these consequences underscores the importance of adhering to the AD to ensure the continued airworthiness and safety of the Embraer EMB-120 (Brasilia) Series Aeroplanes.