EASA SIB AL-2009-01
Galley or Washroom Water Heater Failure - FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SA696GL and STC SA4370SW
Summary
Transport Canada Civil Aviation Service Difficulty Alert AL-2009-01 addresses the failure of galley or washroom water heaters installed under FAA Supplemental Type Certificates SA696GL and SA4370SW. The affected water heaters, part numbers 444-0007 or 500-0120-7-0, have been installed on Bombardier CL-600-2B16 (601-3R) Challenger aircraft and various Gulfstream models including GII, GIII, GIV, and Hawker 700/800 aircraft. The alert highlights incidents of thermostat failure causing overheating and smoke in the forward galley area.
What Changed
This alert introduces a non-mandatory notification regarding the risk of water heater thermostat failure leading to overheating and smoke generation. It informs operators and maintenance organizations of previous occurrences and recommends inspection and verification of affected installations. The document also announces ongoing investigations and forthcoming communications from the STC holder, General Dynamics.
Why It Matters
This alert is important for aviation professionals because the thermostat failure can cause smoke and potential fire hazards in the aircraft galley area, posing safety risks during flight. Operators and maintenance teams need to be aware of this issue to prevent in-service incidents and ensure continued airworthiness. Early detection of overheating signs can mitigate emergency situations and maintain regulatory compliance.
What To Do
Operators and Approved Maintenance Organizations should review aircraft records to identify installations of the affected water heaters, particularly those modified at Gulfstream Appleton or Dallas facilities. A visual inspection for signs of overheating should be conducted at the earliest opportunity. Any further defects or occurrences must be reported to Transport Canada via the Service Difficulty Reporting program. No explicit compliance deadline is provided.
AI-generated summary from official EASA source document. Always verify against the original.