{"id":"F2008L04510","name":"AD/PR/32 Amdt 1 - Blade Pitch Seizure","slug":"ad-pr-32-amdt-1-blade-pitch-seizure","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":76555,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2008L04510-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Propellers - Variable Pitch - Dowty Roto","sectionType":"division","heading":"Propellers - Variable Pitch - Dowty Rotol","content":"### Propellers - Variable Pitch - Dowty Rotol\n\n| AD/PR/32 Amdt 1 | Blade Pitch Seizure | 13/2008 |\n| --------------- | ------------------- | ------- |\n\n| Applicability: | All R/354/4-123-F/13, R354/4-123-F/20, R375/4-123-F/21, R389/4-123-F/25, R389/4-123-F/26 and R390/4-123-F/27 propellers fitted to SAAB 340 A or B series aircraft.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |\n| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |\n| Requirement:   | Modify or de-modify (as applicable) the propeller pitch change mechanism in accordance with Dowty Aerospace Mandatory SB SF340-61-88 dated23 January 1997.Note: UK CAA AD 002-11-96 dated 2 November 1996 refers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |\n| Compliance:    | Unless previously carried out, incorporate as specified in the Requirement Document paragraph D.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |\n|                | This Amendment becomes effective on 18 December 2008.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |\n| Background:    | The manufacturer has advised that during ground running a propeller which had recently been modified to SB SF340-61-79 status, suffered a seizure of the propeller pitch change. This occurred when the slide block, attached to the crosshead by coiled pins, became detached and allowed the crosshead to turn and contact the blade root inner sleeves which then locked the propeller blades in a fixed position.This amendment corrects a typographical error in the background statement with no change to the requirements or compliance sections. The original background statement referred to “coiled springs” instead of “coiled pins”.The original issue of this AD became effective on 27 March 1997. |\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nJames Coyne  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n6 November 2008","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/PR/32 Amdt 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/PR/32 Amdt 1","content":"## AD/PR/32 Amdt 1","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Blade Pitch Seizure","sectionType":"part","heading":"Blade Pitch Seizure","content":"## Blade Pitch Seizure","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"13/2008","sectionType":"part","heading":"13/2008","content":"## 13/2008","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The amendment only corrects a typographical error in the Background (changing 'coiled springs' to 'coiled pins') and explicitly states there is no change to the requirements or compliance sections; the operative mandate and affected fleet remain unchanged (Background)."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow technical applicability to specific propeller part numbers and SAAB 340 A/B airframes (Applicability).","Mandatory action requires following an external manufacturer Service Bulletin (Dowty SB SF340-61-88) rather than fully reproducing instructions in the AD (Requirement).","Instruction can be to 'modify or de-modify' depending on prior configuration, which requires case‑by‑case assessment by maintenance providers (Requirement).","'Unless previously carried out' compliance phrasing creates record‑checking and proof obligations for operators (Compliance).","Cross-reference to earlier regulatory material (UK CAA AD and original AD effective 1997) requires tracing prior actions and status (Background/Requirement).","Effective date and single-paragraph compliance reference (paragraph D of Requirement Document) concentrate the operative detail outside the AD text (Compliance)."],"plain_english_summary":"This airworthiness directive requires owners/operators of SAAB 340 A or B aircraft fitted with the listed Dowty Rotol variable‑pitch propellers to modify (or de‑modify) the propeller pitch‑change mechanism following Dowty Aerospace Mandatory Service Bulletin SF340‑61‑88 (23 Jan 1997). It responds to a ground‑running incident where detached coiled pins allowed crosshead rotation and caused blade pitch to seize.\n\nIt affects operators and maintenance organisations responsible for the specified propellers, mandates compliance per the Requirement Document paragraph D unless already done, and took effect 18 December 2008."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This amendment makes no change to the scope. It corrects a typographical error ('coiled springs' to 'coiled pins') in the background section only. The applicability, requirements, and compliance sections remain identical to the original 1997 directive."},"complexity_factors":["Single technical requirement referencing an external manufacturer document (Service Bulletin SF340-61-88)","Limited applicability — only 6 specific propeller models on one aircraft type","No nested exceptions or conditional logic; simple 'unless previously carried out' compliance trigger","Amendment is purely typographical with no substantive legal change","Short document (approximately 200 words of substantive content)","Only one defined term implied (the propeller model numbers)"],"plain_english_summary":"This AD mandates that operators of SAAB 340 A/B aircraft with certain Dowty Rotol propeller models follow Service Bulletin SF340-61-88 to modify (or reverse a prior modification of) the propeller pitch-change mechanism to prevent seizure that could jam blade pitch and cause loss of engine power.\n\nAmendment 1 only corrects a background typographical error (\"coiled springs\" → \"coiled pins\") and does not change the safety requirements."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-pr-32-amdt-1-blade-pitch-seizure","history":"/api/acts/ad-pr-32-amdt-1-blade-pitch-seizure/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-pr-32-amdt-1-blade-pitch-seizure/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-pr-32-amdt-1-blade-pitch-seizure/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-pr-32-amdt-1-blade-pitch-seizure/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-pr-32-amdt-1-blade-pitch-seizure/documents"}}