Airworthiness Directives; De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (Type Certificate Previously Held by Bombardier, Inc.) Airplanes
Key claim: The FAA proposes to require operators of certain De Havilland DHC-8-401 and DHC-8-402 airplanes to inspect a wing fuel-tank bracket for missing seals and fuel leaks and take any needed follow-up repairs.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration) The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (Type Certificate Previously Held by Bombardier, Inc.) Model DHC-8-401 and DHC-8-402 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that instructions for fay, fillet, and rivet dome sealing were omitted for a bracket installed on the inboard surface of the tank rib, which could allow fuel to leak from the wing fuel tank into the wing dry bay. This proposed AD would require a detailed visual inspection of the affected bracket assembly for signs of fuel leakage and for the presence of fillet seal and fastener dome seal, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Why this matters
Fuel-tank sealing defects on in-service turboprops can cause leaks that create fire hazards and ground aircraft for unscheduled repairs, so FAA periodically issues ADs to force fleet-wide inspection when a manufacturing or assembly omission is identified. This proposed AD continues a steady cadence of transport-category fuel-system directives being pushed out through the airworthiness process rather than through broader rulemaking.