AD/P68/46 - Engine Cowl (Cth)

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

Partenavia P68 Series Aeroplanes

AD/P68/46 Engine Cowl 2/2000 TX

Applicability: All P68 aircraft.

Requirement: Remove the inboard and outboard engine cowl side panels from both engines.

Ensure that the most forward fastener of the 'pop' fasteners attaching each engine cowl rear side fairings to the under surface of the wing is in line with the solid rivets of the lower spar cap. To assist with locating the areas, refer to the attached diagrams. If all four subject fasteners are in line with the spar cap rivets, then no further action is required.

If a fastener is not in line with the spar cap rivets, before further flight, the location of the forward fastener, its orientation and direction relative to the all spar cap elements is to be determined. The second most forward fastener is also to be inspected in a similar manner.

In all cases of misaligned fasteners, a defect report is to be made to CASA and an assessment by a CAR 35 authorised person is required prior to further flight.

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

Compliance: Within the next 50 hrs.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 24 December 1999.

Background: An aircraft has been found with an engine cowl fastener incorrectly installed into the main spar. The fastener, instead of attaching the cowl fairing to the wing spar horizontal flange, was incorrectly driven into the body of the mainspar, thus compromising the fatigue properties of the spar. As a result of this incorrect locating of the fairing, the second most forward fastener has impacted the rear edge of the lower spar cap flange.