FAA Orders Crack Fixes on Certain De Havilland DHC-8-401 and -402 Airplanes
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
The FAA is requiring operators of certain De Havilland DHC-8-401 and -402 airplanes to inspect and fix cracking in elevator control parts and nearby structure. The directive calls for replacing bushings and washers, installing doublers, replacing rear spar fittings, and doing follow-up repairs if damage is found. This matters to airline and fleet maintenance teams because the problem can lead to elevator jamming and, in the worst case, loss of pitch control. Operators of affected U.S.-registered aircraft must follow the required actions in the Transport Canada directive by June 3, 2026, and any cracked, corroded, or damaged parts must be repaired before further flight.
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Key Changes
- Requires inspections and repairs for cracking in elevator PCU brackets, elevator front spar areas, and related fittings on certain DHC-8-401 and -402 airplanes.
- Orders replacement of bushings and washers, installation of doublers, and replacement of horizontal stabilizer rear spar elevator PCU fittings.
- Requires immediate before-further-flight repairs when corrosion, scoring, structural degradation, or cracking is found, using FAA-, Transport Canada-, or DAO-approved methods.
Obligations
What this law requires
Operators of affected De Havilland DHC-8-401 and DHC-8-402 airplanes must comply with all required actions and compliance times specified in Transport Canada AD CF-2025-19, as incorporated into this FAA AD, unless already completed.
Operators of affected De Havilland DHC-8-401 and DHC-8-402 airplanes must comply with all required actions and compliance times in Transport Canada AD CF-2025-19, as incorporated by the FAA AD.
Affected operators must replace bushings and install new washers on the elevator PCU arm fitting assembly.
During the required inspections, if corrosion, scoring, or structural degradation is found in the bushing holes in the elevator PCU arm fitting assembly, the operator must repair the condition before further flight using a method approved by the FAA International Validation Branch Manager, Transport Canada, or the De Havilland DAO.
If inspection finds corrosion, scoring, or structural degradation in the bushing holes of the arm fitting assembly, the operator must repair the condition before further flight using a method approved by the FAA International Validation Branch, Transport Canada, or De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited's Transport Canada DAO.