# AD 71-02-03: Main Landing Gear Failure

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: Kelowna Flightcraft R & D 340, 440 and Military C-131E
- Effective: March 9, 1971
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Large airplane
- Amendment: 39-1165
- Registered aircraft: 12 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/83AFC2CCF080C2A7862569B200756241.0001
- DRS record last changed: May 30, 2024
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/71-02-03

## The airworthiness directive

71-02-03 GENERAL DYNAMICS: Amdt. 39-1145 as amended by Amendment 39- 1165. Applies to Model 340, 440 and C-131E Airplanes including those airplanes converted to turbopropeller power, certificated in all categories.

Compliance required within the next 50 hours time in service after the effective date of this AD unless already accomplished within the last 200 hours time in service.

To prevent failures of the left and right main landing gears, accomplish the following:

  (a) Inspect the entire outer surface of the main landing gear cylinders (P/N 528002 or P/N 528402), including the fulcrum arms, for cracks using magnetic particle or dye penetrant methods, or an equivalent method approved by the Chief, Aircraft Engineering Division, FAA Western Region.

  (b) If cracks are found, before further flight either rework the cylinder in a manner approved by the Chief, Aircraft Engineering Division, FAA Western Region or replace the cylinder with a cylinder which has been inspected per (a) above and found free of cracks.

  (c) If cylinders are reworked in accordance with (b) above, accomplish the following before further flight:

1. Identify and record the cylinders and areas reworked.

2. Limit the use of reworked cylinders to those aircraft operating below or at a maximum of 55,000 lbs. take-off gross weight. If any cylinder reworked per (b) above is installed in any aircraft converted to turbopropeller power in accordance with STC SA4-1100 (known as Model 580), install a placard in only those aircraft previously approved for operating weights above 55,000 pounds, and in full view of the pilot, which reads as follows: "Maximum take-off gross weight 55,000 lbs."

3. Repeat (a) above at intervals of 1,000 hours' time in service from the last inspection.

  (d) If no cracks are found as a result of the inspection required by (a) above and it is definitely determined that a cylinder has less than 14,000 hours' time in service, repeat (a) above, before 15,000 hours' time in service have been accumulated.

  (e) If no cracks are found as a result of the inspection required by (a) or (d) above, and a cylinder is considered to have more than 14,000 hours' time in service, repeat (a) above at intervals of 1,000 hours time in service from the last inspection.

Amendment 39-1145 effective January 21, 1971.

This amendment 39-1165 becomes effective March 9, 1971.

## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS 6A6](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/6A6): Kelowna Flightcraft R & D Ltd.; names 3 of 6 models: 340, Military C-131E, 440

## Registered aircraft it may apply to (OpenAirDocs)

Matched by airframe and engine model; the AD's applicability may narrow it by serial number, part number or equipment.

- Aircraft: 12 (12 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Convair 12

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Convair 340](https://openairdocs.org/model/convair-340): 7 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Convair 440](https://openairdocs.org/model/convair-440): 5 aircraft (airframe model)

All 2 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/71-02-03/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/71-02-03/aircraft.md

## Related documents

- [STC SA4-1100](https://openairdocs.org/stc/SA4-1100): Installation of Allison model 501-D13D, 501-D13H, or 501-D22G engines and related changes.. Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd, Cited in the text

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