AD 2012-06-15 Airworthiness Directives; DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Sailplanes

This AD applies to DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Models DG-500 Elan Orion, DG-500 Elan Trainer, DG-500/20 Elan, and DG-500/22 Elan sailplanes and Models DG-500M and DG-500MB powered sailplanes, all serial numbers, that are: (i) Equipped with a headrest on the rear seat; and (ii) Certificated in any category.

Unless already done, do the following actions: (1) Within the next 30 days after May 15, 2012 (the effective date of this AD), inspect the rear cockpit headrest securing rope to determine the length. Do the inspection as specified in Instruction No. 2 of DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note No. 500/05, dated September 19, 2011. (i) If the length of the rear cockpit headrest securing rope is more than 450 millimeters (mm) or less than 400 mm, before further flight after the inspection required in paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, adjust the length of the rear cockpit headrest securing rope to a length between 400 mm and 450 mm as shown in Sketch 2 of DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Working Instruction No. 1 for TN348/20, Issue 3, dated September 13, 2011. After doing the adjustment, do the action required in paragraph (f)(2) of this AD. (ii) If the length of the rear cockpit headrest securing rope is between 400 mm and 450 mm, do the action required in paragraph (f)(2) of this AD. (2) Within 3 months after May 15, 2012 (the effective date of this AD), replace the rear cockpit headrest securing rope with a rear cockpit headrest securing rope with a snap hook. Do the replacement following DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Working Instruction No. 1 for TN348/20, Issue 3, dated September 13, 2011, as specified in Instruction No. 3 of DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note No. 500/05, dated September 19, 2011. (3) Replacement of the rear cockpit headrest securing rope with a rear cockpit headrest securing rope with a snap hook done before May 15, 2012 (the effective date of this AD) following DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Working Instruction No. 1 for TN348/20, Issue 2, is considered acceptable for compliance with paragraph (f)(2) of this AD. (4) Although the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) MCAI and DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note No. 500/05, dated September 19, 2011, allows the inspection required in paragraph (f)(1) of this AD to be done by a pilot-owner, the U.S. regulatory system requires all actions required by this AD be done by a certified mechanic.

The following provisions also apply to this AD: (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, Standards Office, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to ATTN: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: jim.rutherford@faa.gov . Before using any approved AMOC on any sailplane to which the AMOC applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO. (2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain corrective actions from a manufacturer or other source, use these actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered FAA-approved if they are approved by the State of Design Authority (or their delegated agent). You are required to assure the product is airworthy before it is returned to service. (3) Reporting Requirements: For any reporting requirement in this AD, a federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2120-0056. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are mandatory. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden and suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: Information Collection Clearance Officer, AES-200.

This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as incorrect re-installation of the rear cockpit securing rope for the headrest of the rear seat during maintenance. We are issuing this AD to correct the length of the rear cockpit headrest securing rope, which if too long, could cause the rear seat to interfere with the control stick of the sailplane and could result in loss of control of the sailplane.

None.