AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/PHZL/77 Amdt 1 and issues the following 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.
Propellers - Variable Pitch - Hartzell
AD/PHZL/77
Amdt 2
Australian Air Props 9/2003
Applicability: Hartzell 2 bladed “Y” shank, aluminium hub propellers ( )HC- ( )2Y()-( ) and Hartzell 2 bladed “Y” shank aluminium hubs last released by Australian Air Props Pty Ltd, Building 515, Hartzell Place Bankstown Airport NSW in the period 1 January 1991 through 31 December 1996, and those propellers listed in Table 1 of this Directive.
Requirement: | 1. | Remove from service: |
| | a. Any Hartzell ( )HC- ( )2Y( )-( ) propeller incorporating a hub last released by Australian Air Props Pty Ltd following a propeller strike, in the period 1 January 1991 through 31 December 1996; and |
| | b. Propeller Hubs listed in Table 1 of this Directive. |
| 2. | For propellers removed in accordance with Requirement 1a and 1b of this directive; dismantle the propeller and inspect the hub preload plate shelf area for evidence of a machining repair. |
| 3. | Remove from service any propeller hub found to have machining of the preload plate shelf contrary to Hartzell Standard Practices Manual 202A. |
| 4. | Report the results of all findings from Requirements 2 and 3 of this Directive to the Section Head, Systems Section, Airworthiness Standards Branch, CASA, Fax 02 6217 1914. |
Table 1 Propeller Hubs to be removed from service.
Model | Serial Number |
HC-F2YL-1 | EU211 |
HC-E2YL-2 | BG2664 |
HC-E2YL-2 | BG2721 |
HC-E2YL-2 | BG3628 |
HC-M2YR-1 | EN359 |
HC-M2YR-1 | FB818 |
HC-M2YR-1 | FB394 |
HC-C2YF-2 | AM3316 |
HC-C2YF-2 | AM3088 |
Compliance: For Requirement 1: Within 50 flight hours or 3 months from 15 May 2003.
For Requirement 2: Before the propeller is returned to service.
For Requirement 3: Immediately following the completion of Requirement 2 of this Directive.
For Requirement 4: Upon completion of Requirement 2 of this Directive. This Amendment becomes effective on 4 September 2003.
Background: Amendment 2 of this Directive changes mandatory scrapping of hubs listed in Table 1 of this Directive to an inspection as detailed for other propellers affected by this Directive.
Amendment 1 detailed revised criteria for the propeller hub removal and list certain propellers by serial number. This Amendment also includes removing only propellers that had prop strike events where the propeller hub was returned to service following the event.
This Directive has been issued in response to 2 bladed “Y” shank hubs being found with a machining repair of the hub preload plate shelf being released to service by Australian Air Props Pty Ltd. The manufacturer of the hubs has recommended that such hubs be removed from service.
Amendment 1 of this Airworthiness Directive became effective 10 July 2003.
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 15 May 2003.
Jim Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 25 July 2003
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 13 August 2003.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued Amendment 2 to Airworthiness Directive AD/PHZL/77 on 25 July 2003. This legislative instrument addresses the problem of Hartzell 2 bladed “Y” shank, aluminium hub propellers that were found to have machining repairs to the hub preload plate shelf area, which was contrary to Hartzell’s Standard Practices Manual 202A. This issue was identified following propeller strikes that occurred between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 1996. The policy objective of this Airworthiness Directive is to ensure the continued airworthiness and safety of affected propellers by requiring their removal from service, inspection, and replacement if necessary. This directive became effective on 4 September 2003, replacing the mandatory scrapping of certain hubs with an inspection requirement as detailed for other propellers affected by this directive.
Scope and Application
This Airworthiness Directive applies to specific Hartzell 2 bladed "Y" shank aluminium hub propellers manufactured and released by Australian Air Props Pty Ltd between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 1996, and those propeller hubs listed in Table 1 of the directive. The directive is issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, and applies to aircraft or aeronautical products within the Commonwealth of Australia. The directive mandates that any Hartzell HC-2Y propellers incorporating hubs from the specified period or those listed in Table 1 be removed from service following a propeller strike, and that these propellers be inspected for evidence of machining repairs. Propeller hubs found to have machining contrary to Hartzell Standard Practices Manual 202A must also be removed from service. The directive allows for certain exclusions through subordinate instruments, which may further extend or restrict its application. The directive became effective on 4 September 2003, and compliance is required within 50 flight hours or 3 months from 15 May 2003.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/PHZL/77 Amdt 2 issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate applies to Hartzell 2 bladed “Y” shank, aluminium hub propellers manufactured by Australian Air Props Pty Ltd between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 1996, and specifically to those propeller hubs listed in Table 1 of the directive (section 1). The directive requires that affected propellers and their hubs be removed from service if they have experienced a propeller strike event within the specified timeframe (section 1). The directive also mandates that propellers removed under this requirement be inspected for evidence of machining repair to the hub preload plate shelf, and that any hubs found to have been improperly machined are also to be removed from service (section 1). Owners or operators of the affected propellers are required to report the findings of the inspections to the CASA Airworthiness Standards Branch (section 1). Compliance with the directive must occur within 50 flight hours or 3 months from the directive's effective date of 15 May 2003 for the initial removal from service, with further actions required before the propeller is returned to service, immediately following the inspection, and upon completion of the inspection report (section 1).
The AD imposes specific obligations on aircraft owners, operators, and maintenance personnel, including the timely removal of specified propellers from service, conducting thorough inspections of the propeller hubs, and reporting any findings to CASA. These requirements are designed to ensure that propellers that may have been improperly repaired or that have structural integrity issues are not used in flight, thereby enhancing aviation safety (section 1). The directive's obligations are clear and must be followed strictly to prevent unsafe conditions that could lead to aircraft accidents or incidents.
Breach of the obligations outlined in the AD can result in severe consequences, both civil and criminal, depending on the nature and severity of the non-compliance. The AD does not specify exact penalties, but non-compliance with CASA directives can lead to enforcement actions, including fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, and potential criminal charges for individuals responsible for the non-compliance (section 1). The exact penalties are determined by CASA based on the specific circumstances of the breach and the regulations in place at the time of the offence.