Aft Baggage/Maintenance Door Latches

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FAA Aircraft Certification Service SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN SAIB: CE-09-41 SUBJ: Aft Baggage/Maintenance Door Latches Date: July 22, 2009 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin is being issued to advise you of an airworthiness concern on Hawker Beechcraft Model 390 airplanes. Specifically, it recommends the replacement of the goose neck type latches on the aft baggage and maintenance doors (four on each door) per Service Bulletin SB 52-3864. At this time, this airworthiness concern is not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant an airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR part 39).

Background

Since 2003, the Model 390 fleet has experienced the loss of a total of 10aft baggage doors in flight. Although the safety effect on the airplanes to date has been minor, a lost door does typically cause some damage to the aft fuselage and engine cowling, and also poses a risk to persons or property on the ground. In an effort to eliminate future occurrences of lost doors, the manufacturer has redesigned the latches to a different rotary pin style latch. A large number of the fleet of Model 390 airplanes has now been retrofitted with the new latch design and, since that time, there have been no instances of lost doors for those aircraft that have incorporated Service Bulletin 52-3864.

Recommendations

For the reasons stated above, the FAA recommends that Service Bulletin 52-3864 be incorporated on all Hawker Beechcraft Model 390 airplanes. In the interim, we recommend that pilots operating airplanes with the original-style latches refer to Hawker Beechcraft Safety Communique #279 Rev. 1 and the instructional video referenced therein for more information and the recommended process for closing and inspecting an aft baggage/maintenance door with for proper security. In addition, all pilots are reminded of their responsibility to verify that the cabin door, baggage doors, engine cowlings, and fuel caps have been latched securely before flight.

For Further Information Contact

Paul DeVore, Aerospace Engineer, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office; phone: (316) 946-4142; fax: (316) 946-4107; e-mail: [email protected].

For Related Service Information Contact

Hawker Beechcraft Customer Support at 1-800-429-5372 or a Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Authorized Service Center.