AD/PFP/14 Amdt 2 - Hub Inspection and Rework

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39 - 107 Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, includes a directive for fixed pitch propellers. This legislation, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, was introduced to address the issue of blade failures in McCauley model 1A103/TCM/6958 propellers. The problem arose from reports of blade separation in the area where the blade blended into the hub, necessitating an inspection and rework to prevent in-flight failures. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority mandates that these propellers, particularly those with serial numbers 770001 through 777390 and BC-001 up to but not including JA001, originally fitted to Cessna 152, A152, Reims F152 and FA152, must be inspected and reworked in accordance with McCauley SB 169B. The policy objective is to ensure the continued airworthiness and safety of these aircraft by mitigating the risk of in-flight blade failure. This directive applies to propellers that have accumulated 1200 hours or more of total service time, or if the service history is unknown, they must be inspected and reworked at the next inspection to secure a Maintenance Release after 30 June 1989. The regulation is a response to the manufacturer's reports of in-flight blade failures, which prompted an expanded inspection to include the hub bolt holes, ensuring a comprehensive approach to the safety concerns identified.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, particularly in Part 39 - 107 under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, applies specifically to McCauley model 1A103/TCM/6958 propellers within a defined serial number range, namely 770001 through 777390 and BC-001 up to but not including JA001, originally installed on Cessna 152, A152, Reims F152, and FA152 aircraft. This regulation mandates an inspection and rework of the propeller hubs in accordance with McCauley Service Bulletin 169B. For propellers with 1200 hours or more of total service time or those with unknown service histories, this inspection and rework must occur at the next inspection to issue a Maintenance Release following 30 June 1989. Propellers previously inspected under McCauley SB 169A (Amendment 1) require additional scrutiny as detailed in paragraphs 4 and 5 of McCauley SB 169B. This directive reflects the Commonwealth's commitment to ensuring the safety of civil aviation operations by addressing specific technical concerns identified by the manufacturer related to potential in-flight blade failures.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 107, includes the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, specifically AD/PFP/14Amdt 2, which pertains to the inspection and rework of McCauley model 1A103/TCM/6958 propellers. This directive applies to propellers with serial numbers ranging from 770001 to 777390 and BC-001 up to but not including JA001, originally installed on Cessna 152, A152, Reims F152 and FA152 aircraft (section 1). The directive mandates that the inspection and rework of these propellers must comply with McCauley Service Bulletin 169B (section 2). Specifically, any propellers that were previously inspected under McCauley Service Bulletin 169A (Amendment 1) require additional inspection as outlined in paragraphs 4 and 5 of McCauley Service Bulletin 169B (section 3). The obligations under this directive require that any McCauley model 1A103/TCM/6958 propeller with 1200 hours or more of total service time, or if the service history is unknown, must be inspected and reworked at the next inspection to ensure compliance and to issue a Maintenance Release after 30 June 1989 (section 4). This inspection is crucial to address reported in-flight blade failures that occurred at the junction where the blade meets the hub, and subsequent blade failures at the hub bolt holes (section 5). Failure to comply with the requirements outlined in the AD/PFP/14Amdt 2 directive may result in significant legal and safety consequences. Operators of affected aircraft are legally required to ensure that the propellers meet the inspection and rework standards specified by CASA. Non-compliance may lead to the grounding of aircraft until the propellers are inspected and, if necessary, reworked. Moreover, CASA has the authority to take enforcement actions against non-compliant operators, which could include fines, sanctions, or other regulatory penalties (section 6). The exact penalties for non-compliance are not specified within the text of the directive itself but are typically determined by CASA based on the severity and circumstances of the breach.