{"id":"F2013L01490","name":"AD/GENERAL/86 - Darwin Inspection and Testing Service Ultrasonic Inspection","slug":"ad-general-86-darwin-inspection-and-testing-service-ultrasonic-inspection","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":91300,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2013L01490-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Aircraft - General","sectionType":"division","heading":"Aircraft - General","content":"### Aircraft - General\n\n| AD/GENERAL/86 | Darwin Inspection and TestingService Ultrasonic Inspection | 16/2013 |\n| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |\n\n| Applicability: | All aircraft that have had Ultrasonic Inspection carried out by Darwin Inspection and Testing Service (DITS) in the nominated period, 1 January 2010 through8 February 2013.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |\n| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement:   | 1. Review the aircraft records to determine whether any Ultrasonic Inspection has been carried out and certified by DITS on the aircraft or any aeronautical product fitted to the aircraft in the nominated period.2. If the aircraft records do not indicate any Ultrasonic Inspection work conducted by DITS during the nominated period, then no further action is required by this AD.3. If the aircraft records indicate Ultrasonic non-destructive inspection tasks were carried out by DITS during the nominated period and no repeat inspections have been conducted by an authorised person - Repeat those ultrasonic inspection tasks.4. If, during re-inspection of the aircraft or aeronautical product a defect is identified, submit a defect report to CASA noting this AD in the report. |\n| Compliance:    | For Requirement 1: Within 7 days after the effective date of this AD.For Requirement 3: Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD,For Requirement 4: Within 2 days after accomplishing the inspection.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |\n|                | This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 2 August 2013.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |\n| Background:    | CASA has identified during the period 1 January 2010 through 8 February 2013 that the DITS carried out Ultrasonic non-destructive inspection tasks on aircraft using non-authorised personnel. Furthermore, CASA cannot establish that inspections conducted by the personnel concerned during this period were conducted to a standard acceptable to the authority. In addition, the organisation concerned cannot provide suitable records to CASA identifying work that was conducted during the nominated period.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |\n\n|     | Therefore, the need exists to have operators review their aircraft records and, where it is identified that Ultrasonic non-destructive inspection tasks have been carried out by DITS during the nominated period, this work will need to be repeated. CASA understands that some operators have already repeated some Ultrasonic non-destructive inspection tasks, using authorised personnel, and therefore there is no further need to repeat such work. |\n| --- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nNicholas Ward  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n31 July 2013","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/GENERAL/86","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/GENERAL/86","content":"## AD/GENERAL/86","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Darwin Inspection and TestingService Ult","sectionType":"part","heading":"Darwin Inspection and TestingService Ultrasonic Inspection","content":"## Darwin Inspection and Testing  \nService Ultrasonic Inspection","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"16/2013","sectionType":"part","heading":"16/2013","content":"## 16/2013","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The AD's scope aligns with its stated safety trigger: it targets ultrasonic inspections carried out by DITS during 1 Jan 2010–8 Feb 2013 and requires record review, repeat inspections where required, and defect reporting (Applicability; Requirement 1–4; Background). The instrument does not expand beyond that nominated period or introduce new categories of work; it enforces repetition and reporting to address verification and record gaps identified by CASA."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow temporal applicability limited to inspections performed 1 Jan 2010–8 Feb 2013 (Applicability) — requires matching historical records against that period.","Stepwise compliance obligations (Requirement 1–4) with short, different deadlines (Compliance: 7, 30 and 2 days) increase procedural sequencing and timing risk.","Need to determine whether prior repeat inspections were done by an 'authorised person' — potential ambiguity about who qualifies as authorised and how authorisation is evidenced (Background; Requirement 3).","Record availability and adequacy uncertainty: CASA states DITS cannot provide suitable records for the period, so operators may bear discovery and administrative costs (Background; Requirement 1).","Operational cost and logistics: repeating ultrasonic NDI tasks imposes direct inspection costs and potential aircraft downtime on operators (Requirement 3).","Reporting duty for identified defects: operators must submit defect reports to CASA within 2 days after inspection (Requirement 4; Compliance).","Scope includes 'aeronautical product fitted to the aircraft' which may require inspection of components not normally covered by routine aircraft records (Applicability; Requirement 1).","Single issuing authority and effective date compress decision window (Delegate: Nicholas Ward; Effective date 2 Aug 2013)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Airworthiness Directive requires operators of any aircraft that had ultrasonic inspections by Darwin Inspection and Testing Service (DITS) between 1 January 2010 and 8 February 2013 to check their records and, where DITS work is recorded and has not since been re‑inspected by an authorised person, have those ultrasonic inspections repeated and report any defects to CASA. Operators fund and arrange repeat inspections; CASA sets deadlines and receives defect reports. It matters because CASA cannot verify authorisation or adequate records for DITS work in that period."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This AD maintains its original narrow scope: addressing a specific quality assurance failure by one named service provider during a defined 3-year period. The requirements remain tightly focused on record review and conditional re-inspection, with no expansion into broader regulatory matters."},"complexity_factors":["Single, linear decision tree with only 4 numbered requirements","No defined terms section — all language is plain operational English","No cross-references to other legislation or regulations","Simple conditional logic (if/then) with no nested exceptions","Short document — approximately 300 words of substantive content","Clear, specific timeframes (7 days, 30 days, 2 days) with unambiguous triggers","Single applicability criterion (DITS ultrasonic work in defined date range)"],"plain_english_summary":"This AD requires aircraft owners/operators who had ultrasonic inspections performed by Darwin Inspection and Testing Service (DITS) between Jan 2010 and Feb 2013 to check records within 7 days. If DITS did work and it hasn't been re‑done by an authorised inspector, have the ultrasonic inspections repeated within 30 days.\n\nIf any defect is found on re‑inspection, report it to CASA within 2 days and reference this AD. It addresses safety risk from potentially improper inspections."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-general-86-darwin-inspection-and-testing-service-ultrasonic-inspection","history":"/api/acts/ad-general-86-darwin-inspection-and-testing-service-ultrasonic-inspection/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-general-86-darwin-inspection-and-testing-service-ultrasonic-inspection/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-general-86-darwin-inspection-and-testing-service-ultrasonic-inspection/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-general-86-darwin-inspection-and-testing-service-ultrasonic-inspection/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-general-86-darwin-inspection-and-testing-service-ultrasonic-inspection/documents"}}