Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2008L02735:body:0
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2008L02735
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 0–2795

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 39.001(1) of CASR 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.

Diamond DA42 Series Aeroplanes
AD/DA42/6  Aircraft Flight Manual - Lightning  10/2008 DM
           Strike Procedures

Applicability:  DA 42 and DA 42 M aircraft, all serial numbers.
Requirement:    Unless previously accomplished, amend the applicable Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) to incorporate the new lightning strike procedure in accordance with the instructions contained in Diamond Aircraft Industries (DAI) Temporary Revision
                TR-MÄM-42-270 dated 31 May 2008.
                TR-MÄM-42-270 may be removed from the AFM when the AFM is amended by a normal revision which includes or supersedes the TR-MÄM-42-270 lightning strike procedure.
                Note 1:  After any lightning strike, the aircraft should be inspected in accordance with the DA 42 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Chapter 05-50, paragraph 5.D.
                Note 2:  EASA AD 2008-0136 refers.
Compliance:     Within 30 days after the effective date of this Directive.
                This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 8 August 2008.
Background:     Diamond DA 42 and DA 42 M aircraft are prohibited from intentional flights into known thunderstorms.  The AFM Section 2.13 already specifies that "Flights into known thunderstorms are prohibited".  Nevertheless, some aircraft recently experienced lightning strikes of unusual high levels over the design requirement with various resulting damage.  The analyses of these incidents have identified structural damage that may not be visible to the pilot.

                This condition, if not corrected, may lead to loss of control, or additional damage, even if the aircraft is subsequently operated within the allowed flight envelope.  To address this risk, DAI has developed additional AFM procedures to be applied in case of lightning strike, including an airspeed limitation and certain procedures to avoid additional loads to the structure.

   For these reasons, this Directive requires the amendment of the applicable AFM to incorporate the new lightning strike procedure.

James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

24 July 2008