COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
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 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.
Aerospatiale (Socata) TB200 Series Aeroplanes
AD/TB200/7 Ammeter Electrical Circuit 12/2001
DM
Applicability: All Model TB200 aeroplanes equipped with ammeter options OPT 10 593 00M, OPT 10 689 00M or OPT D689 00M.
Requirement: Modify the ammeter electrical circuit in accordance with Socata Mandatory Service Bulletin TB Aircraft 10-122-24 dated July 2001.
Note: DGAC AD 2001-446(A) refers.
Compliance: At the next scheduled maintenance check, but no later than 31 December 2001.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 24 October 2001.
Background: The French Direction Générale de L’Aviation Civile has advised that in-flight failures of the ammeter electrical circuit have been reported to Socata. These failures could result in smoke or a burning smell in the cockpit. This Directive requires the modification of the ammeter electrical circuit.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 17 October 2001
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 24 October 2001.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, amended by the Civil Aviation (Airworthiness) Notice No. 7274, introduced the Airworthiness Directive AD/TB200/7 to address safety concerns related to the ammeter electrical circuit in Aerospatiale (Socata) TB200 Series aeroplanes. This legislation was enacted to ensure that all Model TB200 aeroplanes equipped with specific ammeter options (OPT 10 593 00M, OPT 10 689 00M, or OPT D689 00M) undergo a modification to prevent in-flight failures that could lead to hazardous conditions such as smoke or a burning smell in the cockpit. The directive was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the CAR 1998, aiming to align with the French Direction Générale de L’Aviation Civile's (DGAC) safety recommendations and to rectify unsafe conditions identified by DGAC AD 2001-446(A). The compliance period for this AD was set for the next scheduled maintenance check, with a deadline of 31 December 2001.
Scope and Application
This Airworthiness Directive, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, applies specifically to all Aerospatiale (Socata) TB200 series aeroplanes equipped with particular ammeter options, namely OPT 10 593 00M, OPT 10 689 00M, or OPT D689 00M. The directive is issued to address safety concerns identified by the French Direction Générale de L’Aviation Civile, which reported in-flight failures of the ammeter electrical circuit that could result in smoke or a burning smell in the cockpit. To rectify this issue, the AD mandates that the ammeter electrical circuit be modified in accordance with Socata Mandatory Service Bulletin TB Aircraft 10-122-24 dated July 2001. The directive is applicable nationally and requires compliance at the next scheduled maintenance check, but no later than 31 December 2001, with the directive becoming effective from 24 October 2001. The AD does not specify any exclusions or exemptions and extends to all relevant aircraft within the specified parameters.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of this Airworthiness Directive (AD) are found in sections 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998). This section provides the authority for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate to issue an AD when necessary to correct an unsafe condition. Specifically, section 39.1(1) allows the CASA delegate to issue ADs in relation to aircraft or aeronautical products. The directive in question, AD/TB200/7, applies to all Aerospatiale (Socata) TB200 Series Aeroplanes equipped with certain ammeter options, namely OPT 10 593 00M, OPT 10 689 00M, or OPT D689 00M. The requirement outlined in this directive mandates that the ammeter electrical circuit must be modified in accordance with Socata Mandatory Service Bulletin TB Aircraft 10-122-24 dated July 2001, to prevent in-flight failures that could lead to smoke or a burning smell in the cockpit.
The AD imposes obligations on the owners and operators of the affected aircraft to ensure compliance with the directive. This includes modifying the ammeter electrical circuit as specified in the Socata Mandatory Service Bulletin. Compliance with this AD must be achieved by the next scheduled maintenance check, but no later than 31 December 2001. This requirement ensures that the necessary modifications are made in a timely manner to mitigate the safety risks associated with the in-flight failures of the ammeter electrical circuit.
Failure to comply with the AD may result in civil or criminal consequences. Under section 40.012 of CAR 1998, a person who contravenes an AD is liable to a penalty. The maximum penalty for such an offence is $275,000 for a body corporate, or $55,000 for any other person. Additionally, continued operation of an aircraft in non-compliance with the AD may pose a significant safety risk, potentially leading to further enforcement actions or investigations by CASA. The AD also references DGAC AD 2001-446(A), indicating that the French civil aviation authority has issued a similar directive, reinforcing the international recognition of the need for these modifications.