CASA Media Release - Tuesday, 20 August 2002
Engine recall grounds aircraft
A range of piston-engine aircraft operating in Australia have been grounded following an engine recall by US manufacturer Lycoming.
It is expected that at approximately 40 Lycoming engines covered by the recall are fitted to Australian aircraft.
The models affected are Lycoming TIO-540 and LTIO-540 turbo charged six cylinder engines rated at 300 horsepower or greater.
The engines were manufactured between early 1999 and early 2002.
The recall of the engines follows reports in the United States of broken crankshafts. This led to the US Federal Aviation Administration issuing an urgent Airworthiness Directive last weekend ordering the grounding of aircraft fitted with the engines.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority today issued an urgent Airworthiness Directive ordering the grounding of aircraft in Australia fitted with the affected engines.
These engines must be returned to Lycoming for repairs and owners and operators have been given five hours of flying time to take the aircraft to a maintenance organisation for removal of engines.
Aircraft likely to be fitted with the affected engines include Piper Chieftain, Piper Navajo, Piper Saratoga, Piper Aerostar, Piper Malibu Mirage, Piper Mojave and Cessna 206.
Lycoming have indicated they will meet the cost of repairs to the engines and is offering compensation where they are fitted to aircraft in commercial use.
It is expected that more than 900 engines will be recalled world-wide, with the work expected to take months to complete.
Lycoming’s agent in Australia - Hawker Pacific - will be coordinating the recall and arranging for repair work.
Full details of the CASA Airworthiness Directive at: http://www.casa.gov.au/airworth/airwd/schedules/PISTON.HTM
Media contact
Peter Gibson
ph 02 6217 1015
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: MR0237