Warns Operators To Check Proper Function Of Flap/Slats Warning Systems 

Following the preliminary report of the Spanish Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviación Civil (CIAIAC) on the August 20, 2008 accident of a Spanair McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) at Madrid's Barajas International Airport, as well as the Agency's own evaluation of DC-9/MD-80 family service history, on Wednesday the European Aviation Safety Agency published an Airworthiness Directive (AD) concerning the DC-9/MD-80 family of aircraft.

The Airworthiness Directive requires an update of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to include a mandatory check of the functionality of the Take-Off Warning system (TOW) before engine start prior to every flight. This system provides warning in the case of the flaps and slats not being correctly set, thus alerting the crew of an improper take-off configuration. This action is being taken as a precautionary measure to improve the consistency of pre-flight safety drills.

To ensure that the TOW check is a part of all operators' pre-start checks for every flight, a recommendation for an Operational Directive (OD) affecting the same aircraft types is simultaneously being issued by the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) to their members, after consultation with EASA. The JAA are currently responsible for remedial action related to air operations, until the EASA Implementing Rules on air operations are in force.

At the present time the cause or causes of the non-functionality of the TOWS system of the Spanair MD-82 have not yet been established. EASA is continuing to work closely with all parties involved in support of the CIAIAC investigation team and will consider any further action in light of the on-going investigation.

FMI: Read The Airworthiness Directive