EASA SIB CASA-2020-13
Bombardier CL-600-2A12 & CL-600-2B16 Aeroplanes - Broken Brake Control Valve Spring
Summary
The Transport Canada Civil Aviation Safety Alert CASA 2020-13 addresses a safety concern affecting Bombardier CL-600-2A12 (Challenger 601-1A) and CL-600-2B16 (Challenger 601-3A/-3R) aircraft models. It highlights that the Bombardier MSG-3 maintenance program does not include an inspection task for the dual brake control valve (BCV) spring, which has been identified as a contributing factor in a runway overrun accident due to brake failure. The alert provides information on the inspection task and its importance for these aircraft.
What Changed
This new safety alert introduces a recommendation to incorporate a specific BCV spring inspection task (32-43-21-216) into the maintenance programs of affected Bombardier Challenger 601 aircraft. It clarifies that the MSG-3 program, as currently approved, does not include this inspection, which is only found in the older MSG-2 program documents. The alert also explains the inspection interval and method to detect a broken BCV spring.
Why It Matters
This alert is critical for operators, maintainers, and compliance teams because undetected failure of the BCV spring can lead to loss of brake function on the affected wheel, increasing the risk of runway excursions or other incidents. Since the MSG-3 program does not provide timely detection of BCV spring failure, incorporating this inspection task ensures safer operation and regulatory compliance. It also helps maintainers identify hidden failures that are not visible to the flight crew.
What To Do
Operators should verify if their maintenance program is based on the Bombardier MSG-3 program defined by SB 601-0590 and, if so, amend their approved maintenance schedule to include the BCV inspection task 32-43-21-216 from the applicable TLMC documents (PSP601-5 for CL-600-2A12 and PSP601A-5 for CL-600-2B16). The inspection should be performed every 300 flight hours and takes approximately 5 minutes. Operators should look for indications such as pushrod displacement to identify a broken BCV spring.