Airworthiness Directives; Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and SA227 Series Airplanes

Résumé

This amendment revises Airworthiness Directive (AD) 93-15-02 R1, which requires the following on Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and SA227 series airplanes that are equipped with a certain Simmonds-Precision pitch trim actuator: repetitively measuring the freeplay of the pitch trim actuator and repetitively inspecting the actuator for rod slippage; immediately replacing any actuator if certain freeplay limitations are exceeded or rod slippage is evident; and eventually replacing the actuator regardless of the inspection results. The compliance times for the first inspection of an actuator that is installed in accordance with AD 93-15-02 R1 was inadvertently referenced incorrectly. This action retains the repetitive inspection and replacement requirements of the current AD, corrects the above- referenced compliance times, and adds an additional replacement actuator option that will then require repetitive inspections and replacements of that actuator. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent the horizontal stabilizer from going nose-down or jamming because of pitch trim actuator failure, which could result in loss of control of the airplane.