COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Fokker F28 Series Aeroplanes
AD/F28/73
Amdt 1
Passenger Door Lock Warning System 10/93
Applicability: All Model F28 (except Mk 0100), all serial numbers which have Service Bulletin F28/52-72 incorporated.
Requirement: Action in accordance with Fokker SB F28/52-101 dated 1 November 1988 or Revision 1 dated 24 August 1992.
Note: RLD AD 92-117/2 (A) dated 12 July 1993 refers.
Compliance: The original compliance was prior to 4 September 1993. The compliance for this issue is prior to 1 November 1993.
Background: For some time, incidents have been reported of passenger doors opening shortly after take-off. In each case, an improperly locked door was left unobserved by cabin crews, while flight crews probably overlooked the DOOR UNLOCKED warning light during their pre-flight checks.
In 1988 Fokker issued service Bulletin F28/52-101 to improve the passengers door lock warning system. All the incidents occurred on aircraft on which this particular improvement had not been incorporated. Although the existing door lock warning system should be adequate, a recent incident, in which a door opened at 21,000 feet, prompted another review of the system. Fokker considers that all occurrences could have been avoided if this modification had been accomplished.
The RLD and CAA concur with this view and since the unsafe condition described may exist or develop on other aircraft of the same type design, this Airworthiness Directive requires the modification of the passenger door lock warning system.
This amendment is issued following the amendment of the RLD Airworthiness Directive and changes the applicability to aircraft in a post SB F28/52-72 configuration.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, address the safety and operational standards of aircraft within Australia. Enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, these regulations are overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and are instrumental in ensuring that all civil aircraft meet the necessary safety standards. One particular amendment, F2006B09807, pertains to Fokker F28 Series Aeroplanes and was introduced to address the recurrent issue of passenger doors opening shortly after take-off due to improper locking. The policy objective behind this amendment is to mitigate the risk of in-flight incidents caused by unsecured passenger doors, thereby enhancing overall aviation safety. By requiring the implementation of specific modifications to the passenger door lock warning system, as outlined in Fokker SB F28/52-101 and its revisions, the regulations aim to prevent such unsafe conditions from occurring.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the Airworthiness Directives for certain aircraft, including Fokker F28 Series Aeroplanes. The regulation applies to all Model F28 aircraft, excluding the Mk 0100 series, and those serial numbers that have incorporated Service Bulletin F28/52-72. This legislation mandates adherence to Fokker Service Bulletin F28/52-101 dated 1 November 1988 or its Revision 1 dated 24 August 1992, which outlines the necessary modifications to the passenger door lock warning system. The directive was prompted by reported incidents of passenger doors opening in-flight, often due to unobserved unlocked doors by cabin crews and flight crews potentially overlooking the DOOR UNLOCKED warning light during pre-flight checks. The regulation aims to ensure the safety of aircraft operations by requiring compliance with these modifications before specified dates, with a particular focus on addressing incidents where doors opened at high altitudes.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically in Part 39 - 105, outline a significant safety directive for Fokker F28 Series Aeroplanes, identified as AD/F28/73 Amendment 1. This directive pertains to the passenger door lock warning system and applies to all F28 models except Mk 0100, and all serial numbers that have incorporated Service Bulletin F28/52-72. The requirement is to adhere to Fokker Service Bulletin F28/52-101 dated 1 November 1988 or its Revision 1 dated 24 August 1992. This directive is cross-referenced with RLD AD 92-117/2 (A) dated 12 July 1993, which adds an additional layer of regulatory oversight.
Operators and owners of the affected Fokker F28 aircraft are mandated to ensure compliance with the directive. The compliance deadline was initially set for 4 September 1993, but this was extended to 1 November 1993 to allow for adequate time to implement the necessary modifications. The directive seeks to address a recurring safety issue where passenger doors have opened shortly after take-off due to improper locking or oversight by cabin and flight crews. The modification aims to rectify these issues by improving the passenger door lock warning system, thereby preventing such occurrences in the future.
Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive could result in severe consequences. Non-compliance might lead to aircraft being deemed non-airworthy, which could prevent the aircraft from being operated until the required modifications are made. Additionally, there could be significant financial penalties imposed on operators who fail to adhere to the directive. Furthermore, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority has the authority to take enforcement actions, which may include grounding the aircraft or imposing fines, thereby ensuring that safety standards are upheld to protect passengers and crew.
The directive underscores the importance of adhering to safety measures to prevent accidents and ensure the safe operation of aircraft. The penalties for non-compliance are designed to incentivise operators to take the necessary actions promptly. The safety directive reflects a collaborative effort between Fokker, the Regulatory Liaison Division (RLD), and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to address a potentially life-threatening issue, thereby reinforcing the commitment to aviation safety within Australia.