Summary
This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to all Raytheon Aircraft Company (Raytheon) 65, 90, 99, 100, 200, 300, 1900, and 2000 series airplanes. The proposed action would require amending the Limitations Section of the airplane flight manual (AFM) to prohibit positioning the power levers below the flight idle stop or lifting the power levers while the airplane is in flight. This amendment would include a statement of consequences if the limitations are not followed. The proposed AD is a result of numerous incidents and five documented accidents involving airplanes equipped with turboprop engines where the propeller beta was improperly utilized during flight. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent nose down pitch and a descent rate leading to aircraft damage and injury to personnel caused by the power levers being positioned below the flight idle stop or the power levers being lifted while the airplane is in flight.