The concern sheet
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Revised 1/24/02 Airworthiness Concern Sheet
Full Name Andrew McAnaul Title Aerospace Engineer Organization FAA Department ASW-150 (c/o MIDO-43) Address 10100 Reunion Place, Suite 650 City State ZIP San Antonio, TX 78216 Telephone Number 210-308-3365 E-mail andrew.mcanaul@faa.gov Make, Model, Series, Serial No.: Air Tractor Model AT-802 and AT-802A Aircraft Reason for Airworthiness Concern: Fatigue cracking of the wing main spar lower cap at the centerline splice joint Date: June 22, 2010
FAA Description of Airworthiness Concern: Four (4) Air Tractor AT-802/802A wings have been found with fatigue cracking in both the right and left wing main spar lower caps at the centerline splice joint outboard fastener hole. Similar cracking has occurred in wings on other Air Tractor models having the same centerline joint geometry. The FAA issued AD 2006-08-09 to detect and correct this issue. Since that time, Air Tractor has added inspections and/or modifications for later production airplanes based on service experience, fatigue testing and analysis.
Request for Information: The FAA requests information regarding known in-service fatigue cracking found on Air Tractor AT-802/802A wings. Please contact ASW-150 with information to include aircraft serial number, aircraft total time-inservice, wing time-in-service, location and size of any crack, and a point of contact name and phone number we can contact for any additional information. The FAA is also interested in any comments from Air Tractor users regarding wing crack problems or issues. Any replies to the FAA need to be as specific as possible. Please provide specific examples to illustrate your comments/concerns.
A preliminary risk assessment using the Small Airplane Directorate Airworthiness Directives Manual, Appendix V & VI, resulted in a Safety Effect of 4 and Safety Risk Factor of 10 – Potential Immediate Adopted Final Rule AD.
Attachments: *SDR(s) *A/IDS *SL(s) *SAIB *FAASR/*NTSBSR *AD *AMOC *RA
Notification: FAA *AOPA *EAA Type Club *TC Holder Other: NAAA
Response Requested 07/22/2010: Emergency (10 days) Alert (30 days) Information (90 days) *Service Difficulty Reports (SDRs); Accident/Incident Data System (A/IDS); Service Letter (SL); Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB);
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)/National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Safety Recommendation (FAASR/NTSBSR); Airworthiness Directive (AD); Alternate Method of Compliance (AMOC); Risk Assessment (RA); Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA);
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA); Type Certificate (TC) This Airworthiness Concern Sheet (ACS) is intended as a means for FAA Aviation Safety Engineers to coordinate airworthiness concerns with aircraft owner/operators through associations and type clubs. At this time, the FAA has not made a determination on what type of corrective action (if any) should be taken. The resolution of this airworthiness concern could involve an AD action or an SAIB, or the FAA could determine that no action is needed at this time. The FAA’s final determination will depend in part on the information received in response to this ACS.
The FAA endorses dissemination of this technical information to all manufacturers and requests association and type clubs comments.