COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
SAAB SF340 Series Aeroplanes
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 CAR 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 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.
AD/SF340/76 Aft Attachment Lug of Flap Fittings at WS 123.38 3/2000
Applicability: Model SF340A aircraft, serial numbers 004 through 159, and Model 340B aircraft, serial numbers 160 through 459; with flap assemblies 7257800-501 through -508, and
-851 through -856 installed.
Requirement: Action in accordance with SAAB Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin 340-57-037, dated 18 January 2000.
Incorporation of Service Bulletin 340-57-038 is considered terminating action for the inspection requirements of this Directive.
Note 1: LFV AD 1-153 refers.
Compliance: Visual inspection to be accomplished within 800 hours time in service after 23 March 2000. Thereafter at intervals not to exceed 800 hours time in service until the NDT inspection is accomplished.
NDT inspection to be accomplished within 6000 flight cycles after 23 March 2000, thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6000 flight cycles.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 23 March 2000.
Background: A report was received of the failure of the L-shaped flap fittings due to fatigue. The initial failure occurred in the aft lug where the swaged bushing is installed. Some time after this, a consequent failure occurred in the bottom radius of the adjacent L- shaped fitting, which resulted in a jammed flap condition.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 10 February 2000
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 23 February 2000.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Australian Government, are a comprehensive set of rules designed to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation operations within Australia. One specific legislative instrument under these regulations is the Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This particular AD, numbered AD/SF340/76, was introduced in response to reported failures in the aft attachment lugs of flap fittings on the SAAB SF340 Series Aeroplanes, specifically affecting models SF340A and 340B within certain serial number ranges and flap assemblies. The AD was necessitated by the need to address an unsafe condition that could potentially result in flap jamming and compromise flight safety. The policy objective of this AD is to mandate corrective actions as outlined in the associated service bulletins to prevent further incidents and ensure the continued airworthiness of the affected aircraft.
Scope and Application
This Airworthiness Directive issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies to specific Saab SF340 series aircraft models and serial numbers, namely SF340A aircraft with serial numbers 004 through 159 and SF340B aircraft with serial numbers 160 through 459. These aircraft must have certain flap assemblies installed to be subject to the AD. The purpose of the AD is to address a reported issue of fatigue-related failure in the aft attachment lug of flap fittings at Wing Station 123.38, which could lead to a jammed flap condition. The directive requires compliance with the instructions set out in SAAB Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin 340-57-037 and mandates visual and non-destructive testing (NDT) inspections at specified intervals following the AD's effective date of 23 March 2000. The AD becomes effective on the aforementioned date and is applicable within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Australia, as notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 23 February 2000.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, includes an Airworthiness Directive (AD) pertaining specifically to the Saab SF340 series aeroplanes. This AD, numbered AD/SF340/76, mandates actions to rectify an identified unsafe condition (section 1). It applies to specific models of the SF340 series, namely the SF340A with serial numbers 004 through 159 and the SF340B with serial numbers 160 through 459, provided they have flap assemblies 7257800-501 through -508, and -851 through -856 installed (section 2). The requirement for corrective action is detailed in SAAB Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin 340-57-037, dated 18 January 2000 (section 3). It is noted that the incorporation of Service Bulletin 340-57-038 is considered as the terminating action for the inspection requirements of this directive (section 3 Note 1). Compliance with this directive involves a visual inspection within 800 hours of time in service after 23 March 2000, followed by inspections at intervals not exceeding 800 hours, until a Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) inspection is completed. The NDT inspection must be completed within 6000 flight cycles after 23 March 2000 and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 6000 flight cycles (section 4). The directive became effective on 23 March 2000.
The AD imposes specific obligations on the parties and entities it governs. The primary obligation is to perform the visual inspection and NDT inspection as per the outlined intervals, using the guidance provided in the SAAB Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin 340-57-037. The visual inspection must be conducted within 800 hours of time in service post the directive's effective date, with subsequent inspections at intervals not exceeding 800 hours. The NDT inspection must be completed within 6000 flight cycles post the directive's effective date, with subsequent inspections at intervals not exceeding 6000 flight cycles. Furthermore, the incorporation of Service Bulletin 340-57-038 is considered as the terminating action for the inspection requirements of this directive, which must be adhered to by the operators and maintainers of the affected aircraft.
Failure to comply with the AD can result in significant consequences. The AD is issued under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and non-compliance may be viewed as contravening the regulations set out in the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998. Although the specific penalties for non-compliance are not explicitly stated within the text of this particular AD, under general aviation regulations, non-compliance can lead to enforcement actions, including fines, and potentially to civil or criminal proceedings, depending on the severity and impact of the breach. The maximum penalties can vary but may include substantial financial penalties and, in the case of criminal proceedings, imprisonment.