AD 62-17-03

62-17-03 DOUGLAS: Amdt. 468 Part 507 Federal Register July 28, 1962. Applies to DC-8 Aircraft, Serial Numbers 45253-45289, 45291-45306, 45376-45382, 45384-45393, 45408-45413, 45416-45419, 45421-45431, 45433, 45442-45445, 45526, 45565-45570, 45588-45606, 45609-45614, 45617-45618, 45620-45622, 45624-45627.

Compliance required within 300 hours' time in service after the effective date of this AD.

Investigation has shown that the overwing emergency exits cannot, under all necessary circumstances, be opened from outside the airplane, as required by Civil Air Regulations Sections 4b.362(e)(2) and 4b.362(e)(3). To eliminate this condition, one of the following modifications shall be accomplished with respect to each aft overwing exit which is not deactivated per Note 7 of Type Certificate Data Sheet 4A25 and with respect to each forward overwing exit:

(a) The outboard seat in the row of seats forward of each overwing exit shall be permanently blocked to prevent the seat from being reclined across any portion of the exit opening. The outboard seat in the row of seats aft of each overwing exit shall be permanently blocked to prevent the seat from being moved forward across any portion of the exit opening.

(b) Each row of seats forward and aft of each overwing exit shall be relocated in an approved manner that will permit the exit door to be readily opened from the outside and removed when the back of the outboard seat in each such row of seats is in any of its possible positions. The seat track or other seat positioning means shall be clearly marked or blocked in a manner which will assure that these rows of seats are continuously retained in this position during service.

(c) Combinations of the modifications specified in (a) and (b) may be used provided that fore and aft outboard seat backs are restricted from being placed in a position which will prevent opening of the exit from the outside.

(d) Rework each overwing exit door assembly,door jamb and lower stop, install a handle on the exterior of each of those door assemblies, and restrict the forward movement of the outboard seat in each row of seats just aft of an overwing exit. This total modification shall be such as to permit the exit door to be readily opened and removed from the outside when the backs of both adjacent outboard seats are in any of their possible positions.

(Douglas DC-8 Service Bulletin No. 52-21 pertains to this same subject and describes an FAA approved means of complying with modification method (d).)

This directive effective August 27, 1962.