Airworthiness Directives; American Champion Aircraft Corporation 7, 8, and 11 Series Airplanes

Riepilogo

This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to American Champion Aircraft Corporation (ACAC) 7, 8, and 11 series airplanes, excluding Model 8GCBC airplanes. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) previously proposed similar AD action for the ACAC Model 8GCBC airplanes. The proposed AD would require installing inspection holes on the top and bottom wing surfaces, repetitively inspecting the front and rear wood spars for damage, repairing or replacing any damaged wood spar, and installing inspection covers. Damage is defined as cracks; compression cracks; longitudinal cracks through the bolt holes or nail holes; or loose or missing rib nails. The proposed AD results from a review of the service history of the affected airplanes that incorporate wood wing spars. The review was prompted by in-flight wing structural failures on ACAC Model 8GCBC airplanes, and revealed several incidents where damage was found on the front and rear wood spars on the affected airplanes. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent possible compression cracks and other damage in the wood spar wing, which, if not detected and corrected, could eve