COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES SAAB SF340 Series Aeroplanes 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 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. AD/SF340/76 Aft Attachment Lug of Flap Fittings at WS 123.38 3/2000 Applicability: Model SF340A aircraft, serial numbers 004 through 159, and Model 340B aircraft, serial numbers 160 through 459; with flap assemblies 7257800-501 through -508, and -851 through -856 installed. Requirement: Action in accordance with SAAB Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin 340-57-037, dated 18 January 2000. Incorporation of Service Bulletin 340-57-038 is considered terminating action for the inspection requirements of this Directive. Note 1: LFV AD 1-153 refers. Compliance: Visual inspection to be accomplished within 800 hours time in service after 23 March 2000. Thereafter at intervals not to exceed 800 hours time in service until the NDT inspection is accomplished. NDT inspection to be accomplished within 6000 flight cycles after 23 March 2000, thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6000 flight cycles. This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 23 March 2000. Background: A report was received of the failure of the L-shaped flap fittings due to fatigue. The initial failure occurred in the aft lug where the swaged bushing is installed. Some time after this, a consequent failure occurred in the bottom radius of the adjacent L- shaped fitting, which resulted in a jammed flap condition. Eugene Paul Holzapfel Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 10 February 2000 The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 23 February 2000.