The bulletin
Text extracted from the PDF.
SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS
INFORMATION BULLETIN
Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC
U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
CE-05-74 July 19, 2005 http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/safety/alerts/ This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts you, owners/operators of Burkhart GROB Luft-und Raumfahrt GmbH Model GROB G 109 and G 109B Sailplanes, that we have received a Safety Recommendation from the field requesting us to issue an Airworthiness Directive (AD) requiring an immediate inspection of the tail wheel mount bracket, P/N G109-2805, for damage, and repairing any damage before further flight. Subsequent inspections at 25- hour time-in-service (TIS) intervals to determine a frequency of failure were also requested.
Background
Based on information we received from GROB G 109 operators and the U.S. Grob representative, the tail wheel mount bracket may be susceptible to crack(s), especially during hard landings.
Paragraph 3.13.5 of GROB’s Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) specifies removing the tail wheel fairing and inspecting the assembly for cracks and/or deformation.
FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1B, Change 1, Paragraph 9-7(c) specifies generic inspection criteria for tail wheel configurations.
Recommendation
We have reviewed the safety recommendation requests and don’t consider mandatory action through an AD to be necessary. However, we recommend that you thoroughly inspect the entire tail wheel assembly (remove rudder for better access) for:
• damage, i.e., cracks, deformations, loose or worn fittings;
• damage to adjacent parts, proper motion, and adequate clearances.
We also recommend you do this inspection within the next 25 hours TIS or immediately if hard landings have occurred. If any damage is found, we recommend that you repair the damage before further flight. We consider the inspection intervals identified in GROB’s ICA appropriate provided thorough inspections are performed.
For Further Information Contact
Gregory Davison, Aerospace Engineer, FAA Small Airplane Directorate, Room 301, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; phone:
(816) 329-4130; fax: (816) 329-4090; email:
gregory.davison@faa.gov
Grob U.S. Representative: 1070 Navajo Drive, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; phone: (419) 358-9015;
fax: (419) 369-3331; email:
grob@grobsystems.com
Grob Luft- und Raumfahrt, Lettenbachstrasse 9, D-86874 Tussenhausen-Mattsies, Germany;
phone: +49 8268 998139; email:
productsupport@grob-aerospace.de