COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES Bombardier (Boeing Canada/De Havilland) DHC-8 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 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. AD/DHC-8/69 Wing/Fuselage Closing Angles 5/2000 Applicability: DHC-8 aircraft, Models 102, 103, 106, 201, 202, 301, 311, 314, and 315. Requirement: Revise the Transport Canada approved maintenance program by incorporating the inspection and the inspection intervals of Airworthiness Limitations List (AWL), Structural Inspection Task 5310/31A as detailed in the Temporary Revisions (TRs) of the DHC-8 Maintenance Program Manuals specified below: DHC-8 Models Maintenance Program Manual Temporary Revision No. 102, 103, 106 PSM 1-8-7 TR AWL-71 201, 202 PSM 1-82-7 TR AWL2-15 301,311, 314, 315 PSM 1-83-7 TR AWL3-78 For those angles designated as PSEs, phase in the structural inspection tasks detailed above in accordance with the compliance part of this Directive. Compliance: a. For aircraft that have accumulated less than 8,000 flight cycles as of 18 May 2000, perform the inspection at 10,000 flight cycles. b. For aircraft that have accumulated more than 8,000 flight cycles as of 18 May 2000, perform the inspection within 2,000 flight cycles after 18 May 2000. c. For aircraft that have accomplished the 40,000 flight cycle inspection, and where no cracks were found and/or where the closing angles were replaced, the repeat interval of 10,000 flight cycles starts from the date of the 40,000-flight cycle inspection and/or the date of replacement of the closing angles. This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 18 May 2000. COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES Background: Fatigue cracks have been found in the outer closing angles at both the front and rear spar locations. The closing angles , which consist of three segments at the front spar and three similar locations at the rear spar, are part of the structure connecting the fuselage to the wing front and rear webs in the wing/fuselage interface area. Cracking of these closing angles which are principal structural elements (PSEs), could adversely affect the structural integrity of the aircraft. Bernard Malcolm Hole Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 4 April 2000 The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 19 April 2000.