SAIB CE-16-26

FAA Aviation Safety SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN SUBJ: Fuselage – Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG Models P3-03 and P3-05 Main Frame 3 – Wing to Fuselage Attachment Bolts -Inspection SAIB: CE-16-26 Date: October 6, 2016 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin is to alert owners, operators, maintenance technicians, and inspectors of an airworthiness concern on Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG Models P3-03 and P3-05 airplanes, all serial numbers (S/N). Specifically, the concern is the possibility of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) on the main frame 3, wing to fuselage attachment bolts. This condition, if left uncorrected, could lead to loss of structural integrity of the affected airplanes.

These airplanes are not type certificated in the United States and, therefore, the condition is not addressed by FAA airworthiness directive (AD) action. However, these airplanes could be operating in the United States with an experimental airworthiness certificate or other means.

Background

The Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) has issue FOCA Airworthiness Directive (AD) HB-2016-007, dated September 19, 2016, on Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG Models P3-03 and P3-05 airplanes to mandate a one-time inspection of the wing to fuselage attachment bolts for corrosion and cracking, and if corrosion and/or cracks are found, replace the affected wing to fuselage attachment bolts with new bolts.

The required actions and compliance times for the FOCA AD are as follows:

(1) Within the next 50 Flight Hours (FH) or at the next annual inspection, whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD, remove the wing to fuselage attachment bolts as described in “Technisches Reglement der Fliegertruppe 56.199d” (the technical description and operating instructions of the Swiss Air Force) and perform a visual inspection for corrosion and a dye penetrant inspection for cracks. No corrosion and/or cracks are permitted.

Note 1: For the inspection of the attachment bolts it is not necessary to remove the wings from the fuselage.

(2) If during the inspection by paragraph (1) of this AD any wing to fuselage attachment bolts with corrosion and/or cracks are found, before next flight, replace the wing to fuselage attachment bolts as de-scribed in “Technisches Reglement der Fliegertruppe 56.199d” with new bolts. The tightening torque of the new installed or reinstalled bolts is: 60 Nm (6.1 mkg).

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Recommendations

For Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG Models P3-03 and P3-05 airplanes, we recommend adherence to the inspections and corrections per the FOCA AD HB-2016-007 and the corresponding service information. A copy of the FOCA AD and the associated service information can be found on the FOCA website at:

https://www.bazl.admin.ch/bazl/en/home/specialists/aircraft/airworthiness-directives--ad-/lta- schweizer-produkte/p3.html

For Further Information Contact

Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer Federal Aviation Administration, Small Airplane Directorate, ACE-112, 901 Locust Street, Room 301, Kansas City, MO; phone: (816) 329-4059; fax: (816) 329- 4090; e-mail: [email protected].

For Related Service Information Contact

The applicable manufacturer’s documentation and parts (bolts) may be obtained directly from:

RUAG Schweiz AG RUAG Aviation Via Aeroporto 14 CH-6527 Lodrino, Switzerland

Tel.: +41 91 873 41 11 E-mail: [email protected]

For further information on the FOCA AD contact:

FEDERAL OFFICE OF CIVIL AVIATION (FOCA) Design and Production (STEH) CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

E-mail: [email protected]

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