Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-22368 · Auto flight system
Cirrus Design Corporation Airplanes
Cirrus Design Corporation (Cirrus) Model SF50 airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any category.
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Cirrus Design Corporation (Cirrus) Model SF50 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of an accident and an incident due to uncommanded activation of the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) autopilot mode while in flight. This AD requires booting the avionics in configuration mode, inhibiting the CAPS autopilot, fabricating and installing information placards, revising the existing airplane flight manual (AFM) for your airplane, and revising the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the existing airplane maintenance manual (AMM) or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) and your existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable. For certain airplanes, this AD also requires modifying the wiring to remove the CAPS power timer functionality. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
(1) For serial numbers 0005 through 0409 inclusive, within 25 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the effective date of this AD: Do the actions in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) through (iii) of this AD, in accordance with steps A., B., and C., of the Accomplishment Instructions of Cirrus SF5X Service Bulletin SB5X-90-14R1, dated January 20, 2023 (Cirrus SB5X-90-14R1), as applicable to the serial number of your airplane.
(i) Boot avionics in configuration mode.
(ii) Set CAPS activated autopilot to inhibited state.
(iii) Fabricate and install information placards.
(2) For serial numbers 0005 through 0409 inclusive, within 25 hours TIS after the effective date of this AD: Revise the Emergency Procedures section of the existing airplane flight manual (AFM) for your airplane by inserting Cirrus Vision SF50 Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) Temporary Change TAFM 22-03, dated December 8, 2022, for AFM 31452-001 Revision A1; or Cirrus Vision SF50 Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) Temporary Change TAFM 22-04, dated December 8, 2022, for AFM 31452-002 Revision 3, as applicable to your airplane.
(3) For all serial numbers, within 25 hours TIS after the effective date of this AD: Revise the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the existing airplane maintenance manual (AMM) or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness and your existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable to your airplane, by incorporating the language in figure 1 to paragraph (g)(3) of this AD. This action can be done by placing a copy of this AD in the ALS of the existing AMM for your airplane.
(4) For serial numbers 0005 through 0409 inclusive, the actions required by paragraph (g)(2) of this AD may be performed by the owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot certificate and must be entered into the aircraft records showing compliance with the applicable paragraphs of this AD in accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a) and 91.417(a)(2)(v). The record must be maintained as required by 14 CFR 91.417, 121.380, or 135.439.
(5) For all serial numbers, the actions required by paragraph (g)(3) of this AD may be performed by the owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot certificate and must be entered into the aircraft records showing compliance with the applicable paragraphs of this AD in accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a) and 91.417(a)(2)(v). The record must be maintained as required by 14 CFR 91.417, 121.380, or 135.439.
(6) For serial numbers 0005 through 0409 inclusive on which Field Modification FRA00019905 has not been done, within 25 hours TIS after the effective date of this AD: Modify the wiring to remove the CAPS power timer functionality in accordance with step D. of the Accomplishment Instructions of Cirrus SB5X-90-14R1.
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
