AD/PA-24/22 - Baggage Door Latch - Inspection

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Australian Parliament, are comprehensive rules governing all aspects of civil aviation within Australia. These regulations aim to ensure the safety and efficiency of the country's civil aviation industry. The specific focus of PART 39 - 105 is to address the safety of aircraft operations through the issuance of airworthiness directives, including AD/PA-24/22, which pertains to the Piper PA-24 (Comanche) Series aeroplanes. This directive was introduced to address safety concerns regarding the baggage door latch, mandating inspections on specified models and serial numbers to prevent potential in-flight hazards. The overarching policy objective of these regulations is to maintain the highest possible standards of safety and operational integrity in civil aviation.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, imposes safety directives on certain aircraft types, with the aim of ensuring their continued airworthiness. This particular regulation, AD/PA-24/22, pertains to the inspection of the baggage door latch on Piper PA-24 (Comanche) Series aeroplanes. The directive applies to specific serial numbers of model PA-24-260, as detailed within the document Piper SL No. 478. It mandates that these aircraft, if manufactured before 1 September 1971, must undergo a thorough inspection of their baggage door latches to ensure compliance with safety standards. The regulation is geographically applicable across the Commonwealth of Australia, and its scope is limited to the specified models and serial numbers of the Piper PA-24 aeroplanes, thus not affecting other aircraft types or serial numbers outside the designated parameters.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39, Section 105, provide specific airworthiness directives for certain aircraft models to ensure safety standards are maintained. In this context, the regulations address the Piper PA-24 (Comanche) Series Aeroplanes, specifically focusing on the baggage door latch for certain model numbers (section 9/66). The directive applies to the Model PA-24-260 with serial numbers ranging from 24-4247 to 24-4475, excluding some specific serial numbers within that range. The directive references Piper Service Letter No. 478, which outlines the compliance requirements that must be met before September 1, 1971. Entities governed by these regulations, particularly those operating the specified Piper PA-24 (Comanche) Series Aeroplanes, have clear obligations. They must ensure that the baggage door latch on their aircraft meets the specified airworthiness standards as outlined in Piper Service Letter No. 478. This involves conducting thorough inspections and any necessary repairs or modifications to the latch mechanism to prevent any potential failures that could compromise the safety of the aircraft. Failure to comply with the airworthiness directives can lead to serious consequences. Under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can be considered a breach of safety regulations. This breach can result in enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The potential penalties for non-compliance may include fines, operational restrictions, or even the grounding of the aircraft until the required compliance measures are undertaken. In severe cases, individuals or entities responsible for the non-compliance could face criminal charges, leading to substantial financial penalties and possible imprisonment. Therefore, adhering to these directives is not only a regulatory requirement but also a critical safety imperative.