COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 107 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
Commencing the effective date of this directive, for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/LUB/2 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.
Lubrication Systems
AD/LUB/2
Amdt 1
Oil Filter Adapters 4/2004
Applicability: All Teledyne Continental Motors piston engines incorporating a full flow oil filter adapter.
Requirement: | 1. | Inspect the engine oil filter adapter for security, oil leaks and effective locking. |
| 2. | Remove and inspect the oil filter adapter, adapter nut and 'O' ring. |
Compliance: | 1. | At each aircraft periodic inspection. |
| 2. | Whenever the oil filter adapter and/or adapter nut is found to be loose, whenever the oil filter adapter angle is reoriented for whatever reason or when oil is detected leaking from the adapter. |
This Amendment becomes effective on 15 April 2004.
Background: This directive was originally issued to address reports of engine failure events resulting from the loss of engine oil. The oil loss was found to have resulted from loose and/or leaking oil filter adapters. This amendment removes the requirement to inspect the oil filter adapter at every oil filter change.
James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 5 March 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 24 March 2004.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) were enacted to ensure the safety of civil aviation within Australia, providing a regulatory framework for the operation and maintenance of aircraft. One aspect of these regulations involves the issuance of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which aim to address safety concerns identified in aircraft design, construction, or maintenance. The specific AD/LUB/2 Amendment 1, which became effective on 15 April 2004, was introduced to address the problem of engine failures resulting from the loss of engine oil, a condition found to be caused by loose and leaking oil filter adapters in Teledyne Continental Motors piston engines. This amendment aimed to improve safety by focusing inspections on instances where the oil filter adapter is found to be loose, its angle is reoriented, or oil leakage is detected, thereby reducing unnecessary inspections and focusing on genuine safety risks.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, as amended, pertain to the regulation and oversight of civil aviation safety in Australia. Specifically, this legislative instrument concerns Airworthiness Directives (ADs) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This directive applies to all Teledyne Continental Motors piston engines that incorporate a full flow oil filter adapter. The primary focus of the directive is to mitigate the risk of engine failure due to oil loss, which has been linked to loose or leaking oil filter adapters. The directive mandates that inspections be conducted on the engine oil filter adapter for security, oil leaks, and effective locking. Furthermore, the oil filter adapter, adapter nut, and 'O' ring must be removed and inspected under specified circumstances, including each periodic inspection of the aircraft and whenever the oil filter adapter is found to be loose, its angle is reoriented, or oil leakage is detected. The directive came into effect on 15 April 2004 and is part of the broader regulatory framework managed by CASA, which ensures compliance with safety standards across the civil aviation sector in Australia.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/LUB/2 Amendment 1, published under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, focuses on ensuring the safety of Teledyne Continental Motors piston engines by mandating specific actions to be taken regarding oil filter adapters. The AD applies to all engines with a full flow oil filter adapter (Applicability). The key requirements outlined in this AD include inspecting the engine oil filter adapter for security, oil leaks, and effective locking (Requirement 1), and more specifically, removing and inspecting the oil filter adapter, adapter nut, and 'O' ring (Requirement 2). Compliance with these requirements must occur at each aircraft periodic inspection, whenever the oil filter adapter and/or adapter nut is found to be loose, whenever the oil filter adapter angle is reoriented, or when oil is detected leaking from the adapter (Compliance). This AD is effective as of 15 April 2004, replacing the previous requirement to inspect the oil filter adapter at every oil filter change due to its focus on mitigating engine failure events resulting from loose and/or leaking oil filter adapters.
The AD imposes specific obligations on the operators of aircraft equipped with Teledyne Continental Motors piston engines. These obligations include conducting regular inspections of the oil filter adapter and related components as specified in the AD. Operators must ensure that these inspections are performed at each periodic inspection of the aircraft and whenever specific conditions are met, such as when the oil filter adapter is found to be loose or when oil leakage is detected. The AD also requires that the oil filter adapter, adapter nut, and 'O' ring be removed and thoroughly inspected. These requirements are designed to prevent engine failure events that have previously resulted from issues with the oil filter adapter, ensuring that all necessary precautions are taken to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft.
Failure to comply with the provisions of this AD can result in serious consequences, both for the safety of the aircraft and for the operators. Non-compliance may lead to the unsafe condition of the oil filter adapter going unaddressed, which could result in engine failure during flight. Such an event could endanger the lives of those on board and lead to significant damage to the aircraft. The AD does not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance; however, under the broader framework of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can result in enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These actions may include fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, or other regulatory measures designed to ensure compliance and uphold safety standards in civil aviation.