86-15-03 MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.: Amendment 39-5354. Applies to Model MU-2B, MU-2B-10, MU-2B-15, MU-2B-20, MU-2B-25, MU-2B-26 (Serial Numbers (S/N) 008 through 347 except S/Ns 313 and 321); MU-2B-30, MU-2B-35, MU-2B-36 (S/Ns 501 through 696 except S/Ns 652 and 661) airplanes with U.S. Type Certificate No. A2PC, with certain nose landing gear strut assemblies installed, certificated in any category. (This AD does not apply to MU-2B series airplanes having serial numbers with "SA" suffix.)
Compliance: Required as indicated, unless already accomplished.
To preclude failure of the nose landing gear (NLG) strut assembly with part numbers and serial numbers listed in MHI MU-2 Service Bulletin (S/B) 181 Revision B, dated April 8, 1985 (hereafter referred to as S/B 181) installed, accomplish the following:
(a) For those airplanes with NLG strut assemblies having 4000 or more hours time- in-service (TIS) on the effective date of this AD, within the next 200 hours TIS, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 200 hours TIS from the last inspection, inspect for cracks using magnetic flux inspection method or fluorescent penetrant inspection method in accordance with "INSTRUCTIONS," Part I of S/B No. 181.
(b) For those airplanes with NLG strut assemblies having less than 4,000 hours TIS on the effective date of this AD;
(1) For the outer cylinder assembly, within the next 200 hours TIS and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 200 hours TIS from the last inspection, inspect for cracks using magnetic flux inspection method or fluorescent penetrant inspection method in accordance with "INSTRUCTIONS," Part I, of S/B No. 181.
(2) For the trunnion and the axle assembly, prior to achieving 4,200 hours total TIS and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 200 hours TIS from the last inspection, inspect for cracks using magnetic flux inspection method or fluorescent penetrant inspection method in accordance with "INSTRUCTIONS," Part I of S/B No. 181.(c) If cracks are found during any inspection required by paragraph (a) or (b) of this AD, prior to further flight, replace the cracked parts with serviceable parts marked "SP" in accordance with "INSTRUCTIONS," Part II of S/B No. 181.
(d) Installation of the outer cylinder assembly, axle assembly or trunnion marked "SP" is terminating action for the repetitive inspection for that particular part. When all affected parts are replaced in accordance with Part II, permanently identify the NLG strut assembly with "SB 181" in vicinity of the NLG assembly part number.
(e) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with FAR Section 21.197 to ferry aircraft to a maintenance base in order to accomplish this AD.
(f) An equivalent method of compliance with this AD, if used, must be approved by the Manager, Western Aircraft Certification Office, ANM-170W, Northwest Mountain Region, FAA, Post Office Box 92007, Worldway Postal Center, Los Angeles, California 90009-2007.
Allpersons affected by this AD may obtain copies of the documents referred to herein upon request to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., 10, Oye-Cho, Minato-ku, Nagoya, Japan, or Beech Aircraft Corporation (Licensee for Mitsubishi), 9709 East Central, Post Office Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 67201, or FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Room 1558, 601 East 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
This amendment supersedes Amendment 39-3892 (45 FR 54729) as amended by Amendment 39-3956 (45 FR 70227), AD 80-18-12 R1.
This amendment becomes effective August 13, 1986.