AD 67-02-03 ACTIVE

67-02-03 GENERAL DYNAMICS: Amdt. 39-331 Part 39 Federal Register December 29, 1966, as amended by Amendment 39-1284. Applies to Model 340 Airplanes That Have Not Been Modified to Incorporate the Provisions of Convair Service Bulletin 340-174A or Equivalent Approved by the Chief, Aircraft Engineering Division, FAA Western Region.

Compliance required as indicated.

As a result of a number of inflight openings of the rear service door on Model 340 aircraft, (one such occurrence resulting in a fatal accident to a crewmember) accomplish the following:

(a) Within the next 25 hours' time in service after December 18, 1962, unless already accomplished:

(1) Add a placard to the rear service door indicating the "Open", "Unsafe", and "Locked" position for the door handle in accordance with Convair Service Bulletin 340-213, dated October 15, 1956, or an FAA approved equivalent installation.

(2) Add a placard in the cockpit which requires that a flight crewmember inspectthe rear service door to determine that it is properly latched prior to takeoff.

(b) Within the next 50 hours' time in service after May 8, 1963, unless already accomplished, incorporate an FAA-approved revision to the FAA approved Airplane Flight Manual as follows:

(1) In the "Limitations Section", add a note which requires that a flight crewmember inspect the rear service door to determine that it is properly latched immediately prior to each takeoff unless it is known to that flight crewmember that the door has not been operated since last inspected by the flight crew.

(2) In the "Emergency Procedure Section", add a note which requires that the airplane be depressurized in accordance with the procedure prescribed in this Manual if there is evidence that a door latch has become disengaged or leakage around the door occurs.

(3) When the FAA approved Airplane Flight Manual is revised as prescribed in (b)(1), the placard prescribed in (a)(2) may be removed.(c) Within the next 1,000 hours' time in service after December 18, 1962, unless already accomplished:

(1) Install inspection holes and lights in the rear service door threshold for inspection of the lower door latches in accordance with Item 6 of Convair Newsletter No. 294 dated May 6, 1955, and Convair Service Bulletin 340-232 dated November 11, 1957, or an FAA Western Region Aircraft Engineering Division approved equivalent installation.

(2) Install microswitches in the upper and lower forward latches of the rear service door in accordance with the portion of Convair Service Bulletin 340-126A dated June 1, 1954, and revised December 1, 1954, pertaining to the rear service door, or an FAA Western Region Aircraft Engineering Division approved equivalent installation.

(3) Install proximity switches on the rear service door in accordance with the portion of Convair Service Bulletin 340-234 dated January 29, 1958, pertaining to the rear service door, or an FAA Western Region Aircraft Engineering Division approved equivalent installation.

(d) Within the next 1,000 hours' time in service after December 18, 1962, unless already accomplished, install an irreversible clutch mechanism on the rear service door in accordance with Convair Service Bulletin 340-233 dated September 10, 1957, or an FAA Western Region Aircraft Engineering Division approved equivalent.

(e) Within the next 7,000 hours' time in service after January 28, 1967, install a rear service door forward hinge in accordance with Convair Service Bulletin 340-174A dated February 1, 1957, or an FAA Western Region Aircraft Engineering Division approved equivalent installation.

NOTE. - Many Model 340 aircraft incorporate the provisions of the Model 440 performance kit, Service Bulletin 340-144, and have incorrectly been redesignated as Model 440 aircraft. Such aircraft are still Model 340 and should be treated as such (see nameplate and manufacturing serial numbers).
(General Dynamics/Convair Service Bulletins 340-126A, 340-213, 340-232, 340-233, 340-234, and Service Newsletter No. 294 pertain to this subject.)

AD 67-02-03 Amendment 39-331 supersedes AD 62-27-06.

Amendment 39-331 became effective January 28, 1967.

This Amendment 39-1284 becomes effective September 8, 1971.