AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (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.
Parachute Equipment
AD/PARA/13 MarS Emergency Parachute Ripcord Pin 4/2004
DM
Applicability: Emergency parachutes ATL-88/90 and ATL-88/92-S produced by MarS a.s. in 2002 and 2003, with serial numbers listed below; equipped with ripcord pin U-048/A produced by Capewell Components, on which MarS a.s. Mandatory Service Bulletin No. M ATL-01a or Capewell Components Service Bulletin No. CW03-01 has not been accomplished.
Serial numbers of parachutes produced in 2002:
ATL-88/90 020103 through 020310
ATL-88/92-S 020201 through 020204
Serial numbers of parachutes produced in 2003:
ATL-88/90 0302001 through 0305066, 0305078 through 0306084,
0306090, 0306091, 0306094, 0398001 through 0398037
ATL-88/92-S 0303001 through 0305003, 0306092, 0306093, 0397001
through 0397003
Requirement: Perform a test of ripcord pin U-048/A in accordance with MarS a.s. Mandatory Service Bulletin No. M ATL-01a.
Note: Czech CAA AD CAA-AD-076/2003 refers.
Compliance: Before next in-flight use after 3 March 2004. “In-flight use” means wearing the parachute during flight.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 3 March 2004.
Parachute Equipment
AD/PARA/13 (continued)
Background: Reports were received of broken ripcord pins. This pin is used in ripcord U-048/A which is used for closing and opening the emergency parachute package. A broken ripcord pin could result in unintentional parachute opening or inability to open the parachute when required.
David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 26 February 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 3 March 2004.