{"id":"F2006B09068","name":"AD/DHC-3/2 - Rear Cargo Door","slug":"ad-dhc-3-2-rear-cargo-door","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":52829,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B09068-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/DHC-3/2 - Rear Cargo Door","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 22.10.0\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\nCOMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n \n\n![](image.001.png)  DHC-3 (Otter) Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/DHC-3/2 Rear Cargo Door NK\n\nApplicability: All models with S/Nos 2 to 15, 17, 22, 23 and 25 to 28. Requirement:  Action in accordance with De H Canada TNS Otter No 17.\n\nNote: Canadian AD 54-3 refers.\n\n \n\nCompliance: Forthwith.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The text of this AD identifies a specific set of DHC-3 Otter serial numbers and requires action in accordance with De H Canada TNS Otter No 17, with compliance required \"Forthwith\" (source: \"Applicability\", \"Requirement\", \"Compliance\"). The AD cross-references Canadian AD 54-3 (source: \"Note\"). The instrument, as published, does not indicate that it alters or re-scopes a prior Australian directive; it instead imposes an immediate obligation for specified aircraft and delegates the technical method to the referenced TNS. There is no statement in the provided text that the scope has been changed from an earlier instrument."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow, explicit applicability by serial number (\"Applicability: All models with S/Nos 2 to 15, 17, 22, 23 and 25 to 28\") which reduces scope complexity but requires careful fleet identification.","Delegation of technical detail to an external document (\"Action in accordance with De H Canada TNS Otter No 17\"), creating compliance dependency on that document.","Immediate compliance requirement (\"Compliance: Forthwith\"), increasing operational and scheduling pressure.","Cross-reference to another jurisdiction's AD (\"Note: Canadian AD 54-3 refers\"), which may require consulting multiple documents.","Lack of in-text technical steps, cost estimates or staged timeline in the AD itself, requiring operators to source further information before acting."],"plain_english_summary":"What this instrument does (mechanically)\n\n- It is an airworthiness directive issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations and published in the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (header: \"COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\").\n- Title: AD/DHC-3/2 Rear Cargo Door NK. It applies to De Havilland Canada (DHC-3 Otter) aeroplanes with specific serial numbers (\"Applicability: All models with S/Nos 2 to 15, 17, 22, 23 and 25 to 28\").\n- The directive requires operators to carry out the action set out in the manufacturer/authority technical note: \"Action in accordance with De H Canada TNS Otter No 17\" (\"Requirement: Action in accordance with De H Canada TNS Otter No 17\").\n- It sets the timing for compliance as immediate: \"Compliance: Forthwith.\" The AD also cross-references a Canadian airworthiness directive (\"Note: Canadian AD 54-3 refers\").\n\nWho this affects and who decides\n\n- The named aircraft (those DHC-3 Otter aeroplanes listed by serial number) are the subject of the directive; owners/operators of those aircraft are the practical parties who must implement the specified action (source: \"Applicability\" and \"Requirement\").\n- The Civil Aviation Safety Authority published the directive as part of its Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (source: header).\n\nWhy it matters and how compliance works in practice\n\n- The AD imposes an immediate operational obligation on the identified aircraft: they must be inspected, modified, repaired or otherwise dealt with in the manner prescribed by De H Canada TNS Otter No 17 (the AD does not reproduce the technical steps; it requires following that external technical note) (source: \"Requirement\").\n- Because the AD refers to an external technical service note, compliance requires access to that document and the resources to implement it (labour, parts, hangar time). The AD does not itself provide technical detail or costs (source: \"Requirement\" and absence of further detail).\n\nCosts, incentives and trade-offs (source-grounded)\n\n- Who pays: The directive applies to specific aircraft; the owners/operators of those aircraft will need to fund whatever inspections, repairs or modifications the referenced TNS requires (source: \"Applicability\" and \"Requirement\").\n- Timing pressure: The instruction to comply \"Forthwith\" imposes an immediate compliance window that may increase scheduling and operational costs for affected operators (source: \"Compliance: Forthwith\").\n- External-document dependence: The AD delegates technical detail to De H Canada TNS Otter No 17. This creates a compliance dependency on that external document (cost to obtain, interpret, and implement) and on suppliers for parts or services referenced in it (source: \"Requirement\").\n- Cross-jurisdiction reference: The AD explicitly notes a related Canadian AD (\"Note: Canadian AD 54-3 refers\"), so operators and maintainers may need to consult multiple documents or follow advice originating outside Australia (source: \"Note\").\n\nImplementation, enforcement and discretion points (source-grounded)\n\n- The directive is published by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in its Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, which is the formal instrument requiring compliance (source: header and AD text).\n- The AD itself sets the obligation and the timing, but delegates the technical method to the De H Canada TNS. That allocation means the domestic regulator requires action but relies on the referenced technical standard to specify how to do it (source: \"Requirement\").\n\nPractical effects on private choice and operations (source-grounded)\n\n- Affected operators must alter maintenance and operational plans for the listed aircraft to carry out the TNS actions immediately; this will consume operator time and resources.\n- Because the AD covers a tight set of serial numbers, it targets a defined subset of aircraft rather than all DHC-3 Otters (source: \"Applicability\").\n\nLimitations of the instrument as published\n\n- The AD does not include the technical procedure, cost estimates, or an explicit compliance deadline beyond \"Forthwith.\" It also does not state whether any government funding, parts supply arrangements, or specific approvals are available; those matters must be determined by consulting the referenced TNS and the regulator (source: absence of those items in the AD text and the reliance on De H Canada TNS Otter No 17)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, targeted safety directive for a specific aircraft type and component. It has not expanded beyond its original purpose of mandating a specific maintenance action on the rear cargo door of certain DHC-3 Otter aircraft."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short document (under 150 words)","Only one substantive requirement: comply with external technical document (De H Canada TNS Otter No 17)","Simple applicability clause using serial number list","No defined terms section","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the noted Canadian AD","Single compliance deadline ('forthwith') with no conditional timing or exceptions"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive (AD)** — a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). It applies to specific **de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter aircraft** (a type of small bush plane), specifically those with serial numbers 2–15, 17, 22, 23, and 25–28.\n\n**What it requires:**\n- Aircraft owners/operators must take immediate action regarding the **rear cargo door** on these specific planes.\n- The exact work required is detailed in a technical document called **\"De Havilland Canada Technical News Sheet (TNS) Otter No. 17\"** — the AD doesn't spell out the fix here, but legally mandates compliance with that document.\n- **\"Forthwith\"** means immediately — there's no grace period.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nAirworthiness Directives are legally binding safety instructions. If you don't comply, you cannot fly the aircraft. This particular AD addresses a potential safety issue with the rear cargo door on certain Otter aircraft, likely involving structural integrity or secure latching that could affect flight safety.\n\n**Key point:** This references a Canadian AD (54-3), showing how Australia often adopts safety directives from other aviation authorities (in this case, Transport Canada) when they affect aircraft registered in Australia."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-3-2-rear-cargo-door","history":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-3-2-rear-cargo-door/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-3-2-rear-cargo-door/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-3-2-rear-cargo-door/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-3-2-rear-cargo-door/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-3-2-rear-cargo-door/documents"}}