EASA AD 2024-0138: Equipment/Furnishings — Seat Rails - Inspection

What to do

Affected operators must perform an initial inspection of the seat rails within 5 flight hours or 7 days after 18 July 2024, whichever occurs first, and continue inspections every 100 flight hours thereafter. If discrepancies are found, repairs must be completed before the next flight following Tecnam's instructions. Operators may also choose to apply the modification described in Tecnam SB-748-CS to terminate the repetitive inspection requirement.

Summary

EASA Airworthiness Directive 2024-0138 is an airworthiness directive issued for Tecnam P-Mentor aeroplanes, specifically serial numbers 1003 through 1056, 1064 through 1075, 1078 through 1082, 1089, 1090, 1118, 1119, 1124, 1125, and 1126, excluding those with Tecnam modification MOD2002/339 or Service Bulletin SB-748-CS embodied. The directive addresses inspection requirements for the seat rails of pilot and co-pilot seats due to a reported failure of the pilot seat locking mechanism. It mandates repetitive inspections and corrective actions to prevent in-flight unlocking of the pilot seat.

What changed

EASA Airworthiness Directive 2024-0138 introduces new mandatory repetitive inspections of the seat rails on affected Tecnam P-Mentor aircraft to detect interference issues between the pilot seat leather covering and locking lever. It also provides an optional terminating action through modification as per Tecnam Service Bulletin SB-748-CS. This is a new directive addressing a specific unsafe condition rather than an amendment to a previous AD.

Why it matters

This directive is critical for aviation professionals as it addresses a safety risk that could lead to loss of control of the aircraft due to pilot seat unlocking during flight. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to maintain airworthiness and prevent potential accidents. The directive also allows pilot-owners to perform inspections under certain regulatory provisions, impacting maintenance planning and resource allocation.