AD/DH 60/4 Amdt 1 - Cockpit Lateral Tie Rods and Aircraft Structure (Cth)

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

De Havilland DH 60 (Moth) Series Aeroplanes

AD/DH 60/4 Amdt 1

Cockpit Lateral Tie Rods and Aircraft Structure 6/99

Applicability: All Variants of DH60 aircraft.

Requirement: 1. Action in accordance with the Paragraph 2.A and 2.C of the Accomplishment Instructions of British Aerospace Technical News Sheet (TNS) CT (Moth) No. 29 Issue 3.

2. Inspect in accordance with Paragraph 2.B of the Accomplishment Instructions of British Aerospace TNS CT (Moth) No. 29 Issue 3.

Note 1: UK CAA AD 006-10-97 refers. Note 2: A copy of TNS 29 Issue 3 can be obtained from: The Engineering Support Manager British Aerospace Military Aircraft and Aerostructures Military Business Unit, Chadderton Works, Greengate, Middleton Manchester M24 1SA England Fax No. 44 161 955 8798

Compliance: 1. Within 2,000 flying hours or 18 years from the last tie rod renewal, whichever occurs first. In cases where no evidence of last renewal date is found to exist, accomplish within 100 flying hours after 21 May 1998 or before 21 November 1998, whichever occurs first. Thereafter at intervals not to exceed 2,000 flying hours or 18 years, whichever occurs first.

2. Within 12 calendar months after 21 May 1998, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 12 calendar months; and, before further flight after a heavy landing or undercarriage trauma occurrence (as defined in TNS CT (Moth) No. 29 Issue 3).

The compliance of the original issue of this Directive remains unchanged. This Amendment becomes effective on 17 June 1999. Background: During routine maintenance on a DH 82 aircraft, it was found that the lateral fuselage tie rod at the aft position had sheared at its location with the spar attachment fitting. Subsequent investigation found the failure was a result of fatigue cracking in the thread root. This Directive requires that both lateral fuselage tie rods become "lifed items", and introduces a procedure for the examination of the aircraft structure at annual intervals and following a heavy landing.