Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-15663 · McDonnell Douglas Model DC-9-10, DC-9-20, DC-9-30, DC-9-40, and DC-9-50 Series Airplanes, Equipped With a Tail Cone Evacuation Slide Container Installed in Accordance With Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) ST735SO
McDonnell Douglas Model DC-9-10, DC-9-20, DC-9-30, DC-9-40, and DC-9-50 Series Airplanes, Equipped With a Tail Cone Evacuation Slide Container Installed in Accordance With Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) ST735SO
This AD applies to McDonnell Douglas Model DC-9-11, DC-9-12, DC-9-13, DC-9-14, DC-9-15, DC-9-15F, DC-9-21, DC-9-31, DC-9-32, DC-9-32 (VC-9C), DC-9-32F, DC-9-33F, DC-9-34, DC-9-34F, DC-9-32F (C-9A, C-9B), DC-9-41, and DC-9-51 airplanes, certificated in any category, equipped with a tail cone evacuation slide container installed in accordance with supplemental type certificate (STC) ST735SO.
We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for McDonnell Douglas Model DC-9-10, DC-9-20, DC-9-30, DC-9-40, and DC-9-50 series airplanes, equipped with tail cone evacuation slide containers as specified above. This AD requires modifying the tail cone slide. This AD also requires additional tail cone drops and slide deployments, and repair if necessary. This AD results from several reports of inadvertent tail cone deployments in which the tail cone slide failed to deploy. We are issuing this AD to ensure that the tail cone evacuation slide deploys correctly. Failure of the slide to deploy during an emergency evacuation could result in injury to flightcrew and passengers.
You are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the actions have already been done.
Within 24 months after the effective date of this AD: Modify the tail cone slide in accordance with a method approved by the Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), FAA.
Except as provided by paragraph (h) of this AD, no earlier than 150 flight cycles after doing the modification required by paragraph (f) of this AD, and no later than 24 months after the effective date of this AD: Do additional tail cone drops and slide deployments on a minimum of 10 percent of an operator's fleet of affected airplanes (if fewer than 10 airplanes in the fleet: at least one airplane).
(1) If the tailcone and slide deployments are successful according to the applicable McDonnell Douglas DC-9 airplane maintenance manual, no further action is required by this AD.
(2) If any tailcone and slide deployment is unsuccessful according to the applicable McDonnell Douglas DC-9 airplane maintenance manual, before further flight, repair in accordance with a method approved by the Manager, Los Angeles ACO, FAA.
For any airplane on which the repeat tail cone drop deployment cannot be performed within 24 months after the effective date of this AD as required by paragraph (g) of this AD: Repeat the deployment as approved by the Manager, Los Angeles ACO, FAA, in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (i) of this AD.
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
