Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-18034 · Fuselage, wing attach fittings
Various de Havilland Airplanes
This AD applies to Harry E. Williams and Cliff Robertson de Havilland Model DH 82A airplanes, all serial numbers, and de Havilland Model DH 83 airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any category.
We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Harry E. Williams de Havilland Model DH 82A airplanes, all Cliff Robertson de Havilland Model DH 82A airplanes, and all de Havilland Model DH 83 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of structural failure of the attachment of the wing to the fuselage that resulted from failed lateral fuselage tie rods. This AD requires inspecting the aircraft maintenance records to determine the date of installation or the date of last replacement of the lateral fuselage tie rods. This AD also requires repetitively replacing all lateral fuselage tie rods and attaching nuts at a specified life limit interval. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.
Within the next 30 days after January 6, 2015 (the effective date of this AD), review the aircraft records to determine the date of installation or date of last replacement of the lateral fuselage tie rods and attaching nuts.
Initially replace the lateral fuselage tie rod and attaching nuts at whichever of the compliance times specified in paragraph (h)(1) or paragraph (h)(2) of this AD that applies. Repetitively thereafter replace the lateral fuselage tie rod and attaching nuts every 2,000 hours TIS or 18 years, whichever occurs first. Do the replacement following the procedures in paragraph 2.C. of the Accomplishment Instructions and the table on Figure 1 in British Aerospace Military Aircraft and Aerostructures BAe Aircraft Bulletin for De Havilland Moth Aircraft, Document Type and Ref No Technical News Sheet CT (Moth) No 29, Issue 3, dated March 1, 1999.
(1) If the date of lateral fuselage tie rod installation or date of last replacement is known: Do the initial replacement at whichever of the following compliance times in paragraph (h)(1)(i) or paragraph (h)(1)(ii) of this AD that occurs later:
(i) Upon accumulating 2,000 hours TIS on the lateral fuselage tie rod or upon reaching 18 years from the last lateral fuselage tie rod replacement, whichever occurs first; or
(ii) Within the next 6 months after January 6, 2015 (the effective date of this AD) or within the next 100 hours TIS January 6, 2015 (after the effective date of this AD), whichever occurs first.
(2) If the date of lateral fuselage tie rod installation or date of last replacement is not known: Do the initial replacement within the next 6 months after January 6, 2015 (the effective date of this AD) or within the next 100 hours TIS after January 6, 2015 (the effective date of this AD), whichever occurs first.
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.
Aircraft
Appliances and equipment
