Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00124:body:0:p3
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00124
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 5445–8119

Alternate Means of Compliance and Exclusions for AD/PZL/5 Amdt 2 can be used with this airworthiness directive.
             This AD commences on 22 February 2019.
Background:  The original issue of this directive was issued because of local reports of cracking of the bore in the joint and the issue of an Airworthiness Directive by the FAA following 2 instances of in-flight wing separations, where severe corrosion and pitting led to high stress concentrations on the wing attachment joints. The FAA AD and PZL Service Bulletin call for the initial inspection at 3000 hours' time in service (TIS). However, cracks were found in an Australian registered M-18A at only 2776 hours TIS.

   Amendment 1 was issued on 15 November 2013 as a review of Aviation NDT Services QP.00.36(E), Issue 2, dated 8 September 2000, found it was not approved, and Australian Aviation NDT Service Pty Ltd procedure titled Eddy Current Testing of M18 Dromader (All Models), Procedure No. QP.00.36(EC) or other revision, was also not approved, as alternative inspection procedures to use in lieu of the non-destructive magnetic particle inspection procedure required by this airworthiness directive. It also included reference to the manufacturer's required 100 hourly periodic inspection and to require removal of the centre wing and outboard wings to allow better access for inspection of the wing attachment joints every 2500 hours. The repetitive inspection of the attachment joints every 500 hours remained but the wings did not need to be removed from the fuselage.
   Amendment 2 was issued to reduce the complexity of the airworthiness directive by setting a threshold inspection point for all fittings in service, correcting or updating matters in Amendment 1, namely correcting an incorrect reference to the maintenance manual for the magnetic particle inspection which should have been Section 4.27 not Section 2.7, removing reference to 1.e, to make the reference more generic and amending Note 3 to include reference to other approved maintenance data and allowing an alternative magnetic particle inspection, approved by CASA, to that specified by the manufacturer.
   Amendment 3 was issued to clarify the repetitive inspection compliance times of the airworthiness directive.
   Amendment 4 is issued to allow the use of Alternate Means of Compliance and Exclusions issued for Amendment 2 of this AD to be approved for use with this Amendment as there have been no changes made to the magnetic particle non-destructive inspection aspects of this AD that would cause them to be rendered invalid.

Pieter van Dijk
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority
11 February 2019