EASA AD US-2022-04-04: Superseded by FAA AD 2023-17-04

What to do

Operators of affected Continental engines must replace the fiber gasket with the copper gasket as specified in Stratus Tool Technologies Mandatory Service Bulletin SB-001 Rev B. Compliance is required by March 29, 2022. Maintenance teams should obtain the service information and perform the gasket replacement during scheduled maintenance or before the compliance deadline.

Summary

FAA Airworthiness Directive 2022-04-04 is a final rule addressing certain Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. and Continental Motors reciprocating engines, including models C-125, C145, IO-360, IO-470, IO-550, O-300, O-470, TSIO-360, TSIO-520, and IO-520 with specific oil filter adapters installed. This directive mandates replacing the oil filter adapter fiber gasket with a copper gasket to prevent power loss caused by oil starvation. The AD is effective March 29, 2022.

What changed

This new airworthiness directive introduces a mandatory replacement of the fiber gasket in the oil filter adapter with a copper gasket on affected Continental engines. It addresses unsafe conditions identified from two accidents linked to oil starvation due to gasket failure. The AD does not broaden the scope to remote-mounted oil filters but focuses specifically on gasket replacement.

Why it matters

This AD is critical for aviation professionals because it mitigates the risk of engine power loss caused by oil starvation, which can lead to accidents. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to maintain engine reliability and safety. Failure to comply could result in unsafe flight conditions and regulatory penalties.