Airworthiness Directives; Textron Aviation, Inc. (Type Certificate Previously Held by Cessna Aircraft Company) Airplanes
Key claim: The FAA proposes to require owners of certain Textron/Cessna 402C and 414A airplanes to repeatedly inspect engine beams for cracks and replace those beams once they reach a new life limit, after more cracking was found in hard-to-reach areas.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration) The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-07-03, which applies to certain Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) (type certificate currently held by Textron Aviation, Inc.) (Textron) Model 402C and 414A airplanes. Since the FAA issued AD 2015-07-03, there have been additional reports of cracking and multi-site cracking in areas of engine beams that are difficult to access. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of the engine beam for cracks and applicable on-condition actions. This proposed AD would also add a new life-limit to affected engine beams and require replacement when engine beams reach this life-limit. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Why this matters
Engine beam cracking on legacy Cessna 402C/414A twins is a recurring structural-fatigue concern for aging commuter and cargo operators; adding a hard life limit on top of repeat inspections shifts the fix from indefinite monitoring toward mandatory retirement of the part. The proposal fits a broader FAA pattern of tightening ADs when follow-on inspections reveal cracks the previous regime missed.