COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Piper PA-31 Series Aeroplanes
AD/PA-31/76
Amdt 5
Elevator Down Spring 8/98
Applicability: Models Serial Numbers
PA-31, PA-31-300, and PA-31-325 31-2 through 31-8312019 PA-31-350 31-5001 through 31-8553002
PA-31P 31P-1 through 31P7730012
Requirement: 1. For any affected aircraft incorporating a Piper part number (P/N) 42377-02 elevator down spring where the down spring has 900 hours time in service or less, inspect the elevator down spring for cracks or surface deformities in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions section of Piper Aircraft Service Bulletin 626C.
If any cracks or surface deformities are found during any inspection, accomplish the following:
(a) For all affected Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, and PA-31-350 aircraft, replace the elevator spring link with a Piper P/N 71086-03 spring link.
(b) For all the affected aircraft, replace the elevator down spring with a Piper P/N 71056-02 or P/N 71056-03 elevator down spring. Accomplish this in accordance with Section IV, Surface Controls, of the applicable maintenance manual.
2. Accomplish the following:
(a) For all affected Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, and PA-31-350 aircraft, replace the elevator spring link with a Piper P/N 71086-03 spring link in accordance with Section IV, Surface Controls, of the applicable maintenance manual.
(b) For all affected aircraft, replace the elevator down spring with a Piper P/N 71056-02 or 71056-03 spring in accordance with the following:
(i) For all affected Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, and PA-31-350, accomplish this replacement in accordance with Section IV, Surface Controls, of the applicable maintenance manual.
(ii) For the affected Model PA-31P aircraft, accomplish this replacement in accordance with the Instructions section in Piper Service Bulletin 1002.
3. For all affected aircraft, repetitively replace the elevator down spring with a Piper P/N 71056-02 or 71056-03 down spring in accordance with Requirement 2.(b)(i) or 2(b)(ii), as applicable.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Note: FAA AD 98-08-18 Amdt 39-10467 refers.
Compliance: 1. Within 100 hours time in service after 16 July 1998, unless already accomplished, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 hours time in service until the replacement required by Requirement 2 is accomplished.
2. Upon accumulating 1,000 hours time in service on a Piper P/N 42377-02, 71056- 02, or 71056-03 elevator down spring or within 100 hours time in service after 16 July 1998, whichever occurs later.
3. At intervals not to exceed 1,000 hours time in service. This amendment becomes effective on 16 July 1998.
Background: Reports were received of failures of the elevator down spring. Failures of the spring were attributed to a breakdown of the cadmium plating, which led to corrosion and subsequent fatigue failure. Amendment 4 relieved the need for on-going repetitive inspections by introducing a life limit on a specified elevator down spring and link.
Amendment 5 is issued in response to a new FAA AD which mandates certain requirements of the related Piper service bulletin.
Amendment 4 of this airworthiness directive became effective on 9 October 1997. Amendment 3 of this airworthiness directive became effective on 30 November 1986. The original issue of this airworthiness directive became effective in January 1979.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Australian Parliament, aims to ensure the safety of civil aviation within the country. One specific piece of legislation within this Act is Part 39 - 105, which includes the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives. This directive pertains to Piper PA-31 Series Aeroplanes, specifically addressing elevator down spring issues. The AD/PA-31/76 Amendment 5 was introduced to address a problem identified with the elevator down spring of certain Piper models, where failures were attributed to the breakdown of cadmium plating, leading to corrosion and fatigue failure. This legislative instrument was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to ensure the safety and airworthiness of these aircraft. The policy objective is to mandate specific maintenance and replacement procedures to prevent further failures and ensure the safety of these aircraft in operation.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, apply to certain Piper PA-31 series aeroplanes, including models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, and PA-31-350, as well as the PA-31P, within specified serial number ranges. The directive mandates that for any affected aircraft, inspections and replacements of elevator down springs and links must be carried out under specified conditions and intervals to ensure airworthiness. Compliance with these requirements is essential for the continued safe operation of these aircraft. The directive applies nationally within Australia, as it falls under the Commonwealth’s civil aviation regulations, and must be adhered to by all operators of the specified aircraft models. There are no exclusions or exemptions mentioned within the directive, and it extends its application through subordinate instruments as necessary.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, which is a schedule of airworthiness directives, includes detailed provisions for maintaining the airworthiness of certain Piper PA-31 series aeroplanes. Section 105 focuses on the Piper PA-31 series, including models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, and PA-31P. The directive applies to aircraft with specific serial numbers, as listed in the applicability section. The primary requirement, as outlined in section 1, is to inspect the elevator down spring for any cracks or surface deformities if the spring has 900 hours of time in service or less. The inspection must follow the Accomplishment Instructions in Piper Aircraft Service Bulletin 626C.
Should any cracks or surface deformities be detected, the directive mandates the replacement of both the elevator spring link and the elevator down spring with specified Piper parts numbers. For all affected Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, and PA-31-350, the elevator spring link must be replaced with a Piper P/N 71086-03 spring link, and the elevator down spring must be replaced with a Piper P/N 71056-02 or 71056-03 elevator down spring. For the PA-31P model, the replacement of the elevator down spring must follow the instructions in Piper Service Bulletin 1002. The replacement of the elevator down spring must be carried out repetitively in accordance with the specified intervals, as detailed in section 2.
The obligations imposed by this directive require aircraft owners and operators to ensure that the specified inspections and replacements are carried out within the stipulated timeframes. Compliance with these requirements is essential to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft and to prevent potential hazards arising from elevator down spring failures. Failure to comply with the airworthiness directives can result in significant penalties and consequences. Under Australian law, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The maximum penalties for non-compliance may include substantial fines and potential grounding of the aircraft until the required actions are taken. These measures are in place to ensure that aircraft operate within safe parameters and to protect the safety of passengers and crew.