AD/BEECH 1900/16 Amdt 1 - Exterior Operating Instruction Placards for External Doors (Cth)

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

Beechcraft 1900 Series Aeroplanes

AD/BEECH 1900/16 Amdt 1

Exterior Operating Instruction Placards for External Doors

1/99

Applicability: Model Serial Numbers

1900 UA-2 and UA-3

1900C UB-1 through UB-74, and UC-1 through UC-174 1900C (C-12J) UD-1 through UD-6 1900D UE-1 through UE-268

Requirement: Accomplish one of the following in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions section of Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) 2741, Revision 1, Issued February 1997; Revised May 1997:

1. Modify the existing exterior placards with operating instructions installed in accordance with the original issue of this Directive; or,

b. Remove any existing operating placards and install new exterior placards with operating instructions for the airstair door, cargo door, and emergency exits, as applicable.

Installing placards in accordance with Raytheon Aircraft MSB 2741, dated February 1997, and then modifying these placards in accordance with Beechcraft message 52- 0506, dated February 21, 1997, is an alternative method of compliance to the requirements of this Directive.

Note: FAA AD 98-21-20 Amdt 39-10829 refers.

Compliance: Unless already accomplished, within 200 hours time in service after 28 January 1999.

This Amendment becomes effective on 28 January 1999.

Background: This Directive results from an accident involving a ground collision with another aircraft in which both aircraft were destroyed by fire. Although the occupants of the model 1900C survived the impact, the emergency crew were unable to open the airstair door and all occupants died of smoke inhalation. Investigation revealed that the external instructions for opening the door were either not clearly visible or not easily understandable.