SAIB CE-05-78

SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

CE-05-78 August 4, 2005

http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/safety/alerts/ This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you, owners and operators of Amateur-Built Experimental IAR SA BRASOV Model IAR823 airplanes, of the need to inspect the canopy latching rods for proper alignment and wear.

Background

During the investigation of an incident, our Flight Standards Division noted excessive wear and excessive chamfering on the end of the forward latching rod on the left side of the canopy. The end of the latching rod was incorrectly chamfered to greater than threefourths the diameter of the rod causing the striker to ride on the chamfered end of the rod instead of the flat side of the rod. This created a force pushing the rod out of the striker, which allowed the canopy to unexpectedly open during flight and resulted in the Plexiglas in that section of the canopy breaking and departing the aircraft.

correct chamfering excessive wear excessive chamfering

2 Recommendation

We recommend that owners and operators of all amateur-built experimental IAR SA BRASOV Model IAR823 airplanes inspect the canopy latching rods for correct chamfering.

Correct chamfer of the latching rod is onethird of the diameter the rod.

This SAIB is for information only. It does not prevent us from initiating rulemaking action in the future if the situation so dictates.

For Further Information Contact

Taylor Martin, Aerospace Engineer, FAA Small Airplane Directorate, Room 301, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; phone:

(816) 329-4138; fax: (816) 329-4090; email:

taylor.martin@faa.gov