SAIB CE-02-23

SPECIAL

AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION

BULLETIN Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration No. CE-02-23 April 5, 2002 We post SAIBs on the internet at "av-info.faa.gov" This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

Introduction This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you, an owner or operator of the Vulcanair (Partenavia) P68 Series aircraft, that Vulcanair has issued Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No. 111 R1 dated February 20, 2002. This MSB requires owners or operators perform a onetime inspection of the Primary Flight Control lines for security of all-connecting bolts and linkages in each single control run. Vulcanair has identified several occurrences of incorrectly installed forward stabilator connecting rod/control column bolts, P/N AN24-18A, and missing self-locking nuts, P/N MS21083N4. They also discovered the presence of interference between the forward control lever assembly and the airframe. These conditions, if not corrected, could lead to loss of the individual flight control system, which could cause you to lose control of the aircraft.

Background The Italian Airworthiness Authority, Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile (ENAC-RAI), has issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) number RAI - AD 2002-155 dated February 22, 2002, mandating Vulcanair MSB No. 111 R1 dated February 20, 2002, be accomplished within the following compliance time after the effective date of the RAI AD, which is February 27, 2002.

Per MSB No. 111 R1 and the RAI AD, the P68 Observer 2 series aircraft with S/N 401 through 413 and P68C series aircraft with S/N 402 should accomplish part A of MSB No. 111 R1 before the next flight after February 27, 2002.

Per MSB No. 111 R1 and the RAI AD, all Vulcanair P68 series aircraft up to and including S/N 413 should accomplish part B of MSB No. 111 R1 within 15 days or at the next 50 hour inspection, whichever occurs first as of February 27, 2002.

Recommendation We highly recommend that you accomplish the actions of Vulcanair MSB No. 111 R1 dated February 20, 2002 as soon as possible. We also request that operators submit results of these inspections to the Small Airplane Directorate (see point of contact below) for evaluation.

For Further Information Contact Doug Rudolph, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, ACE 112, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; telephone (816) 329-4059; fax (816) 329-4090; e-mail: doug.rudolph@faa.gov Copies of Vulcanair Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No. 109 dated November 23, 2001, can be obtained from Vulcanair S.p.A., Via G. Pascoli, 7 - 80026 Casoria (NA); Italy;

telephone: 39 081 5918143; fax: 39 081 5918172 or USA telephone: (703) 393-8664; fax: (703) 393- 1454.