Overview

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) 1998, specifically addresses safety concerns associated with the Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes fitted with rudder gust lock plunger assembly P/N 27-70066-001. Enacted in response to an incident where the rudder gust lock assembly failed, locking the rudder in flight and adversely affecting the aircraft's controllability, the AD was introduced to rectify this unsafe condition. The directive mandates the removal of the specified rudder gust lock assemblies and either the installation of a new assembly with less than 4000 flight hours time since new or the fitting of an external rudder lock and associated placards to ensure the lock is removed before flight. The compliance timeframe varies based on the time since new of the rudder gust lock assembly. This AD aims to mitigate the risk of rudder lock-in-flight occurrences and ensure continued safe operation of the affected aircraft.

Scope and Application

This Airworthiness Directive (AD) applies to all Fairchild SA 226 and SA 227 aircraft equipped with a rudder gust lock plunger assembly part number (P/N) 27-70066-001. It is issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) by the delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), Neville Probert, in response to safety concerns related to the failure of the rudder gust lock. The AD mandates that operators remove the specified rudder gust lock plunger assembly from service and replace it with a serviceable one having less than 4000 flight hours time since new (TSN), or alternatively, implement an external rudder lock and placarding to ensure the lock is removed before flight, while also placing a copy of this directive in the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM). The compliance timeframe depends on the time since new of the rudder gust lock plunger assembly, with those having less than 7900 flight hours TSN needing to comply before reaching 8000 flight hours TSN, and those with more than 7900 flight hours TSN needing to comply within 100 flight hours from the effective date of the directive. If the flight hours of the rudder gust lock plunger assembly cannot be established, the total time since new of the aircraft is to be used. This AD becomes effective from 24 September 2003.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD/SWSA226/93) issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 pertains specifically to Fairchild (Swearingen) SA 226 and SA 227 series aeroplanes that are equipped with a rudder gust lock plunger assembly bearing Part Number 27-70066-001. This directive was issued to address an unsafe condition that has been identified in the rudder gust lock plunger assembly, which has been known to lock the rudder while the aircraft is in flight, thereby affecting controllability and safety. The directive became effective on 24 September 2003. The directive requires that affected aircraft must either remove the specified rudder gust lock plunger assembly and install a new one with less than 4000 flight hours time since new, or alternatively, fit an external rudder lock to provide gust protection and ensure that a placard is placed in the cockpit with instructions to remove the external rudder lock before flight. Additionally, a copy of this directive must be placed in the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM). For aircraft with rudder gust lock plunger assemblies that have less than 7900 flight hours time since new, these actions must be taken before reaching 8000 flight hours. For those with more than 7900 flight hours, the compliance must occur within 100 flight hours from the effective date of the directive. If the flight hours for the rudder gust lock plunger assembly cannot be established, the total flight hours of the aircraft on which the assembly is fitted will be used. Compliance with the directive is mandatory for the safety of the aircraft and its occupants. Owners and operators of the affected aircraft must ensure that the specified actions are carried out by qualified personnel in accordance with the Aircraft Maintenance Manual. Failure to comply with the AD can lead to serious safety risks, as the directive was issued in response to a critical safety issue that could potentially result in the loss of control of the aircraft during flight. There are no specified penalties for non-compliance mentioned in the directive itself. However, under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, failure to comply with an airworthiness directive can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These actions can include fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, and potentially criminal charges in cases where non-compliance results in an accident or serious incident. The specific penalties would be determined by CASA in accordance with the relevant legislation and regulations.