AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD)AD/GENERAL/78. and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Aircraft - General

AD/GENERAL/78 Amdt 1

Fuel Contamination

2/2000 TX
Applicability:  Aircraft refuelled during one or more of the periods and at one or more of the locations detailed below with 100/130 AVGAS (green dyed fuel) released from Mobil at Yarraville Victoria: 
(a) 24 November 1999 to 23 December 1999 in Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory or south of Townsville in Queensland, or
(b) 21 November 1999 to 23 November 1999 at Bankstown, Albury, Hay or Griffith in New South Wales; or Essendon or Moorabbin in Victoria.
Note 1: Includes turbine aircraft that have been approved to operate on 100/130 AVGAS.
The determination of aircraft applicability is to be carried out by the Certificate of Registration holder or an agent authorised in writing by the Certificate of Registration holder. 

This determination shall be carried out by contacting fuel suppliers at locations where 100/130 AVGAS fuel was uplifted in the periods of concern and obtaining documented evidence of the oil company's status of that fuel. Such documented evidence shall be retained as an aircraft maintenance record. 

Note 2: Documented evidence from an airfield representative of BP or an aviation agent/distributor/supplier of Mobil, at the location where the fuel was purchased, that the fuel uplifted was not released from Mobil Yarraville Victoria during the period 21 November 1999 through 23 December 1999 is acceptable evidence that the fuel is not contaminated.
Requirement:  1: CANCELLED 

2: Aircraft refuelled only with fuel deemed by the supplier not to have been released from Mobil Yarraville Victoria during the period 21 November 1999 through 23 December 1999 may be returned to service. For such aircraft, the following statement shall be recorded and certified on the aircraft maintenance release and in the aircraft log book, by the Certificate of Registration holder or an agent authorised in writing: 
"The aircraft fuel uplifts have been deemed by (name of fuel supplier) not to have been released from Mobil Yarraville Victoria in the period 21 November 1999 to 23 December 1999. This aircraft has been cleared for flight in accordance with CAR 1998 Part 39, AD/GENERAL/78 Amdt 1."

3: Aircraft refuelled with fuel deemed by the supplier to be fuel released from Mobil Yarraville Victoria during the period 21 November 1999 through 23 December 1999 shall be removed from service. For such aircraft, the following statement shall be recorded and certified on the aircraft maintenance release and in the aircraft log book: 

"This aircraft is unairworthy. The aircraft fuel system is contaminated and the aircraft has been removed from service in accordance with CAR 1998 Part 39, AD/GENERAL/78 Amdt 1."

Note 3: Certification made per the original issue of this Airworthiness Directive satisfies the intent of this requirement.
Compliance:  Effective 12 January 2000: 
Before further flight. However, the aircraft may be flown direct to another location to enable maintenance to be carried out, subject to: 
(a) the total flight time not exceeding 5 hours, and
(b) operating crew only being carried in the aircraft, and
(c) the aircraft being flown only in day/VFR operation, and
(d) flight over water being conducted within gliding distance of land.
Terminating action for aircraft rendered unserviceable by Requirement 3 of this Directive, may be: 
(a) compliance with an "approved procedure to de-contaminate an affected aircraft", or 

(b) replacement of the entire aircraft fuel system and engine fuel system with serviceable components in accordance with approved maintenance data.

For the purpose of this Airworthiness Directive an "approved procedure to de-contaminate an effected aircraft" is one that has been approved by CASA per CAR (1988) 2A(4) or a procedure approved by the aircraft manufacturer. 
Note 4: As of the issue date of this Airworthiness Directive, neither CASA nor any aircraft manufacturer has approved a de-contamination procedure. Approved procedures will be advised as they are developed.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 12 January 2000. 

Compliance with the original issue of this Airworthiness Directive satisfies the requirements of this amendment. 
Background:  This Directive has been issued to address concern for the safety of aircraft fuelled with 100/130 AVGAS known to have been contaminated during the refinery process. Following compliance with AD/GENERAL/77, there has been substantial evidence of fuel system contamination re-occurring in aircraft that have complied with the requirements of that Directive. It is now known that the contaminant, Ethylene
Di-Amine, can also exist as a clear substance as well as a black sticky substance as previously advised. 
Requirement 1 has been cancelled as it has now been included in the applicability determination. 
CASA is working closely with aircraft manufacturers and oil companies to develop expeditiously separate procedures which will: 
  • verify with confidence if contamination is or is not present, and
  • satisfactorily clean the contamination from the aircraft and engine fuel systems.
The results will be made available as soon as possible. 

This amendment: 

  • revises the applicability to include turbine engines,
  • clarifies responsibility in identifying aircraft applicability,
  • formalises retention of documented evidence from the fuel supplier,
  • identifies requirements for terminating action for aircraft rendered unserviceable as a result of fuel contamination.
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive superseded CAR 1998 Part 39 AD/GENERAL/77 which was cancelled 10 January 2000. 

Richard G Yates
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

12 January 2000

The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 12 January 2000.