AD/SF340/58 Amdt 1 - Windshield Wiper Arm

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by the Legislative Instrument F2006B06986, were enacted to ensure the safety and regulation of civil aviation within Australia. This particular legislative instrument addresses the safety concerns associated with the Saab SF340 series aeroplanes, specifically focusing on the windshield wiper arm to prevent incidents where the wiper blade separates from the arm during flight, potentially causing damage to the aircraft and posing a risk to safety. This amendment, introduced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, aims to rectify the identified safety issue and prevent future occurrences by mandating specific actions in accordance with Saab Service Bulletin 340-30-081. The policy objective is to maintain and enhance the safety standards in civil aviation by addressing and rectifying design and operational deficiencies in aircraft components. This legislative amendment became effective on 26 March 1998, and it applies to the Saab SF340A models with serial numbers SF340A-004 through -159, and Saab 340B models with serial numbers 340B-160 through -399. The directive mandates that corrective action be taken unless already accomplished, particularly for aircraft that have exceeded 4000 flight hours, with a compliance deadline of 26 June 1998. This measure was introduced in response to an incident where a windshield wiper blade detached from the wiper arm during flight, leading to propeller damage and penetration of the fuselage skin.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to the safety standards and requirements for civil aviation in Australia. This legislative instrument includes various airworthiness directives that govern the operation and maintenance of aircraft to ensure public safety. The scope of this particular airworthiness directive (AD/SF340/58 Amendment 1) applies to the Saab SF340 series aeroplanes, specifically the SF340A models with serial numbers SF340A-004 through -159 and the SF340B models with serial numbers 340B-160 through -399. The directive mandates compliance with the actions outlined in SAAB Service Bulletin 340-30-081 concerning the windshield wiper arm, addressing an issue where the wiper blade separated from the wiper arm during flight, leading to significant damage. The directive is effective for all aircraft that have accumulated more than 4000 flight hours, requiring compliance by 26 June 1998 unless the specified action has already been completed. This airworthiness directive is a response to a previous incident and aims to mitigate similar risks by enforcing specific maintenance and inspection protocols.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39 - 105, which includes the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, specifically targets the SAAB SF340 series aeroplanes through AD/SF340/58 Amendment 1. This directive applies to the SF340A model with serial numbers ranging from SF340A-004 to -159 and the SF340B model with serial numbers from 340B-160 to -399 (s. 1). The directive mandates compliance with SAAB Service Bulletin 340-30-081, which involves specific action to be taken on the windshield wiper arm to prevent a recurrence of an incident where a wiper blade separated from the wiper arm during flight, causing damage to the propeller and penetration of the fuselage skin (s. 2). Entities governed by this directive are required to ensure that the windshield wiper arms on the specified models are inspected and, if necessary, modified or replaced to comply with the service bulletin. For aircraft that have already exceeded 4000 flight hours, the action must be completed before 26 June 1998 unless it has already been accomplished (s. 3). Additionally, the directive notes that a repetitive inspection is planned to be included in the Maintenance Review Board (MRB) or the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) to ensure ongoing compliance. Failure to comply with the requirements of AD/SF340/58 Amendment 1 could result in severe consequences. Non-compliance could lead to operational safety issues, potentially resulting in further damage to the aircraft and risking passenger safety. While specific penalties are not outlined in the text, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can generally lead to enforcement actions by CASA, including fines, suspension or revocation of the aircraft's certificate of airworthiness, and other regulatory sanctions. The directive emphasises the importance of adhering to the specified timeline and procedures to mitigate risks associated with the identified safety issue.