AD/B747/300 - Cargo Door Latch Fitting H-11 Steel Bolts (Cth)

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Safety 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 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.

Boeing 747 Series Aeroplanes

AD/B747/300 Cargo Door Latch Fitting H-11 Steel Bolts 3/2004

Applicability: Model 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, -200C, -200F, -300, -400, 747SR, and 747SP series aircraft; line numbers 1 through 721, 976, and 982.

Requirement: Action in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2003-25-11 Amdt Signature of David Villiers, Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. 39-13394.

Note: Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2464 Revision 1 refers.

Compliance: As specified in the Requirement document, with a revised effective date of 18 March 2004.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 18 March 2004.

Background: This Directive requires an inspection to identify all H-11 steel bolts installed in the latch fittings of the cargo doors, repetitive inspections for cracked or broken H-11 steel bolts, and eventual replacement of all H-11 steel bolts with Inconel bolts. Broken bolts in the latch fittings could reduce the capability of the door latch to keep the door closed, and result in loss of a cargo door and consequent rapid depressurisation of the aircraft.