Following the September fatal crash of a de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter floatplane in Washington State, the FAA has issued an emergency Airworthiness Directive calling for the immediate visual inspection of the left-hand elevator auxiliary spar.
The check is for possible cracks, corrosion and/or previous repair to the auxiliary spar causing elevator flutter that could lead to elevator failure.
Under the AD, depending on the findings of the visual inspection, replacement of the entire elevator auxiliary spar assembly may be required. In addition, sending the inspection results to the FAA is mandatory.
The aviation authority for Canada, Transport Canada, addressed this issue with AD CF-2018-04 in 2018, however the FAA did not follow up with an AD to require such inspections until Feb. 8, 2022. The FAA is addressing comments regarding this.
This emergency AD did not specifically refer to the accident that occurred on Sept. 4, in which a Part 135 sightseeing flight operated using a float-quipped DHC-3T Turbine Otter that crashed into Puget Sound, Washington, killing all nine passengers and the pilot onboard. The accident occurred as the Otter was flying at an altitude of approximately 600 ft. over the water near Whidbey Island when it suddenly made a dive. Approximately 80% of the wreckage and seven victims have been recovered recently as the Navy has been using a barge and remotely operated vehicles in its recovery efforts.
“The FAA considers this AD to be an interim action,” it said in the AD. “If final action is later identified, the FAA might consider further rulemaking.”
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