Adds Revised True Flight Aerospace Critical Service Bulletin

The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) for True Flight Aerospace (Grumman American) Model AA-5 airplanes.  The bulletin addresses an issue concerning the horizontal stabilizer forward spar attachment and surrounding structure in the aft fuselage area.

This SAIB revises SAIB CE-09-37 to add True Flight Aerospace Critical Service Bulletin SB-192, dated August 20, 2009.

During a routine inspection, maintenance personnel found cracked and deformed structure in the aft fuselage area including horizontal stabilizer forward spar attachment structure, spar support angles, and stiffeners. After the original issuance of this SAIB on July 1, 2009, a second airplane was found to have damage in this area which prompted True Flight Aerospace to issue Critical Service Bulletin SB-192, dated August 20, 2009.

The FAA recommends that owners and maintenance personnel perform detailed visual inspections of the horizontal stabilizer forward spar attachment structure, and surrounding area, of the AA-5 airplanes in accordance with True Flight Aerospace Critical Service Bulletin SB-192 at every annual/100 hour inspection, and after hard landings, tail strikes, or any other notable impact or force in tail area.

AA5-B Tiger

The FAA asks that, if cracks or deformations are found, that a Malfunction or Defect Report be submitted on the FAA’s website. At this time, the FAA says this airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant AD action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Aviation Regulations (14CFR) part 39.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.trueflightaerospace.com