AD/MU-2/62 - Landing Gear Actuating Mechanism

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, which deals with Airworthiness Directives, was enacted to ensure the safety of aircraft operations in Australia. This legislative instrument addresses the critical issue of ensuring that specific models of the Mitsubishi MU-2 Series Aeroplanes are maintained to high safety standards, particularly focusing on the landing gear actuating mechanism. The policy objective behind this regulation is to prevent potential safety hazards, such as the inability to completely extend the landing gear, thereby ensuring the safety and reliability of these aircraft in service. This directive was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and became effective on 29 January 1998, requiring compliance within 100 hours of time in service after this date for specified models and serial numbers of the Mitsubishi MU-2 aeroplanes. The modification requirement, as outlined in Mitsubishi MU-2 Service Bulletin 230, is aimed at enhancing the reliability of the landing gear system, thereby contributing to the overall safety of civil aviation operations in Australia.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Airworthiness Directive (AD/MU-2/62) applies specifically to Mitsubishi MU-2 series aeroplanes, with particular focus on the landing gear actuating mechanism. This directive applies to models MU-2B, MU-2B-10, -15, -20, -25, and -26 aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 008 to 347, with exceptions for serial numbers 313 and 321, as well as models MU-2B-30, -35, and -36 with serial numbers between 501 and 696, excluding serial numbers 652 and 661. The directive mandates that the bearing box(es) in the landing gear actuating mechanism must be modified in accordance with Mitsubishi MU-2 Service Bulletin 230 to prevent the potential issue of the landing gear not fully extending. Compliance with this directive is required within 100 hours of time in service after 29 January 1998, the date on which the directive became effective. The directive is part of the broader regulatory framework under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 and is enforced within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Key Provisions

The Mitsubishi MU-2 Series Aeroplanes Airworthiness Directive (AD) 62, specifically AD/MU-2/62, mandates the modification of the landing gear actuating mechanism for certain models of the MU-2B series (sections 1-2). This applies to MU-2B, MU-2B-10, -15, -20, -25, and -26 aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 008 to 347, with exceptions for serial numbers 313 and 321, and to MU-2B-30, -35, and -36 aircraft with serial numbers from 501 to 696, with exceptions for serial numbers 652 and 661. The directive requires that the bearing boxes in the landing gear actuating mechanism be modified in accordance with Mitsubishi MU-2 Service Bulletin 230. This modification is necessary to prevent the possible inability to completely extend the landing gear, a critical safety concern as outlined in JCAB AD TCD-4684-97 (section 3). The compliance requirement stipulates that these modifications must be completed unless already accomplished, within 100 hours of the aircraft being in service after the directive's effective date of 29 January 1998. Under these regulations, the entities responsible for the aircraft, such as operators, owners, and maintenance providers, must ensure that the specified modifications to the landing gear actuating mechanism are performed within the stipulated timeframe (section 4). This involves following the guidelines provided in Mitsubishi MU-2 Service Bulletin 230 to ensure that the bearing boxes are correctly modified, thereby mitigating the risk of landing gear malfunction. Compliance with this directive is essential for maintaining the airworthiness of the affected aircraft and ensuring safety during flight operations. Failure to comply with the requirements of AD/MU-2/62 can lead to significant legal and safety repercussions. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) enforces these directives, and non-compliance may result in enforcement actions. While specific penalties are not detailed in the text, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can lead to severe consequences, including grounding of the aircraft, fines, and potential criminal charges (section 5). The exact penalties for non-compliance would depend on the severity of the breach and CASA's assessment of the risk posed by the non-compliance. It is critical for all parties involved to adhere strictly to the requirements to avoid any legal or safety issues.