FAA Under Scrutiny for Timing of DHC-3 AD

Transport Canada issued a similar airworthiness directive more than four years ago.

Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 03:52 PM ET

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The FAA released the emergency AD for de Havilland Canada DHC–3 Otters last week, four year after Transport Canada issued a similar AD. [Courtesy: Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA issued an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) for de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otters, addressing potential tail assembly corrosion that could lead to structural failure.
The timing of the FAA's AD is under scrutiny from industry leaders, as Transport Canada issued a similar AD over four years ago, and the FAA's action follows a recent fatal DHC-3 crash off Whidbey Island.
The FAA stated it had coordinated with Transport Canada, proposed a rule earlier this year, and issued this emergency AD as an interim action requiring inspections and potential replacement of elevator auxiliary spars.

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The timing of the FAA’s emergency airworthiness directive (AD) addressing possible corrosion in tail assemblies of de Havilland Canada DHC–3 Otters is under scrutiny from industry leaders.

The FAA released the emergency AD last week. Transport Canada issued a similar AD more than four years ago. AD CF-2018-04 was issued by Transport Canada on January 19, 2018, in response to corrosion found on DHC-3 tail assemblies. The AD established a requirement for inspecting the aircraft’s elevators for corrosion, which can lead to structural failure and result in an uncommanded nose-down pitch moment.