AD/CESSNA 206/65 - Alternate Static Air Source Valve

The Directive rests on a straightforward causal safety concept: an identification placard incorrectly located on a valve body can physically cover the static-air inlet port on an alternate static air source selector valve, obstructing the static-air reference used by altimeter, airspeed and vertical speed instruments. The Directive frames the hazard in operational terms: “This condition, if not corrected, could result in the altimeter, airspeed and vertical speed indicators displaying erroneous indications. This could cause the pilot to react to incorrect flight information and possibly result in loss of control.” That chain appears in the Directive’s Background section and is the proximate safety rationale for the requirements.

Mechanically, the Directive uses three core regulatory levers:

• Applicability rules. Table 1 lists specific Cessna 206-series models and serial numbers to which the AD applies and limits the inspection obligation to aircraft that “have an alternate static air source selector valve, P/N 2013142-18, installed after 19 November 2007.” Note 1 records that P/N 2013142-18 replaced P/Ns 2013142-9, -13 and -17.
• Record-based triage. Requirement 1.b allows an initial paper-based screening test: inspect the aeroplane’s maintenance records to determine whether the valve P/N 2013142-18 has been installed since 19 November 2007; if not, no further action is required.
• Physical inspection and remedial action. Requirement 3 prescribes a defined visual inspection technique: seat adjustment to the aft-most position, use of a flashlight and mirror to ensure the forward port is visible and unobstructed, and Requirement 4 requires removal and disposal of the placard if it obstructs the port. Requirement 5 adds a forward-control measure for newly installed parts: P/N 2013142-18 valves installed as replacements or modifications on or after the AD’s effective date must be inspected prior to installation.

The AD also engages supply-chain and maintenance practice concepts. The background notes that the FAA discovered affected valves manufactured between 20 November 2007 and 18 February 2008 and that Cessna “has no way of verifying how many of these assemblies were manufactured and sent to the field with the part number identification placard installed over the alternate static air source selector valve port.” CASA therefore broadened the practical inspection requirement by allowing operators to check their maintenance records rather than forcing immediate physical inspection on every airframe. The Directive also reaches parts held as spares, by specifying applicability to aeroplanes “that could have had the affected part installed as a replacement part or from parts held as spares” (Table 1 header and Requirement 5). The Directive cross-refers to FAA AD 2008-10-02, which becomes effective 12 May 2008, and states the CASA AD became effective on 13 May 2008.

The Directive directly affects several categories of persons and legal actors identified in the text:

• Aeroplane operators of the listed Cessna 206-series models. The Applicability table (Table 1) identifies models (206, 206H, P206, U206, T206H, TU206A-G) and serial-number groupings (for many models “All S/Ns”, for others “All S/Ns beginning with 20608001” or similar). The requirement language applies to “aeroplanes listed in Table 1” that have the P/N 2013142-18 valve installed after 19 November 2007. Operators therefore bear the initial obligation to determine applicability and to comply with the inspection and remedial steps.
• Maintenance personnel and organisations. The Directive requires inspection of the physical valve (Requirement 3) using a prescribed technique (seats aft, mirror and flashlight), removal/disposal of a placard where it obstructs the port (Requirement 4) and inspection of P/N 2013142-18 parts prior to installation (Requirement 5). These actions will fall to maintenance engineers, technicians and organisations responsible for continuing airworthiness and for performing modifications or replacements.
• Pilots/owners with a private pilot’s licence. Note 2 expressly allows that the Requirement 1.b maintenance-records determination “may be accomplished and certified for by the aeroplane operator, provided that they hold at least a private pilot’s licence.” That allocates the ability to perform and certify the records check to suitably licenced operators, rather than limiting certification to licensed maintenance engineers.
• Manufacturers and parts custodians. The background records that Cessna corrected stock on hand but cannot verify the extent of assemblies shipped with the placard over the port. That places an evidential burden on manufacturers, distributors and parts custodians to track the P/N 2013142-18 provenance; it also means operators and maintainers must treat spares and replacement parts as potentially affected until inspected.
• Regulators and their delegates. The Directive is issued by CASA (signed by a CASA delegate, James Coyne). The AD cross-refers to the FAA AD; both regulators are implicated in the information-sharing and concurrent regulatory steps.

Who ultimately pays: operators bear the direct compliance costs. Those costs include time to check maintenance records, the manpower and time for physical inspections (seat movement, mirror/flashlight checks), possible downtime if a placard is found and removed, and inspection prior to installation of any new P/N 2013142-18 valve. There is also a potential supply-chain cost to organisations that hold spares and must inspect them prior to installation. The Directive notes Cessna corrected the parts in stock, but records uncertainty about assemblies already delivered; that uncertainty diffuses the inspection burden to operators and maintainers because Cessna cannot unilaterally identify all affected units in the field.

The Directive sets out clear duties with precise procedural steps and limited declaratory rights.

Duties

• Applicability determination. Operators must first determine whether the AD applies to a particular aeroplane. The AD applies to the models and serial numbers listed in Table 1 “that have an alternate static air source selector valve, part number (P/N) 2013142-18, installed after 19 November 2007” (Applicability paragraph and Table 1).
• Two-path compliance. For aeroplanes to which it applies, operators must choose one of two initial actions (Requirement 1): either (a) inspect the alternate static air source selector valve in accordance with Requirement 3, or (b) inspect the aeroplane’s maintenance records to determine whether the valve has been replaced since 19 November 2007 with P/N 2013142-18, in which case, if no replacement is recorded, no further action is necessary. The Directive therefore permits an operator to use maintenance records as a triage measure instead of immediate physical inspection.
• Physical inspection procedure. Requirement 3 prescribes the inspection sequence: adjust pilot and copilot seats as far aft as possible; use a flashlight and mirror to inspect the alternate static air source selector valve and ensure the forward port is clearly visible and not covered by the part-number placard. This defines the inspection method that satisfies the AD.
• Remedial action. Requirement 4 mandates that if the port is found obstructed by the part-number placard the placard must be removed from the valve body, discarded and the port assured to be open and unobstructed before further flight.
• Pre-installation inspection for replacements. Requirement 5 requires that P/N 2013142-18 selector valves installed as modifications or replacement parts on or after the Directive’s effective date “must be inspected in accordance with Requirement 3 prior to installation.”
• Timing. Compliance timing is strict: Requirements 1, 2 and 3 are to be completed “before further flight after the effective date of this Directive;” Requirement 4 must be completed “before further flight after the Requirement 1 inspection;” Requirement 5 is effective “as of the effective date of this Directive.”

Rights and delegations

• Operator certification of record check. Note 2 explicitly permits the aeroplane operator holding at least a private pilot’s licence to accomplish and certify the Requirement 1.b inspection and determination. The AD therefore grants a limited certification right to non-maintenance licenced operators for the records-based pathway.
• No-further-action outcome. If the records inspection (Requirement 1.b) shows that the P/N 2013142-18 valve was not installed since 19 November 2007, the Directive states “no further action is necessary.” That is an express outcome-based right for compliant operators.
• Documentation expectation. While the text does not specify the form of recordkeeping beyond the maintenance records inspection, Requirement 1.b and Note 2 imply an expectation that the record inspection and its result be certifiable by the operator (if they hold a private pilot licence). Operators therefore have the right to rely on their own maintenance records when they are accurate and available.

Scope limitations

• Part number and dates. The AD is focused on P/N 2013142-18 valves installed after 19 November 2007. Note 1 clarifies that P/N 2013142-18 replaced earlier P/Ns 2013142-9, -13 and -17; the AD’s wording and dates direct attention to valves manufactured between 20 November 2007 and 18 February 2008 as identified by the FAA, but CASA’s operative applicability references the “installed after 19 November 2007” threshold.
• Physical access. The prescribed inspection method relies on inside-cockpit access (seat adjustment, mirror and flashlight), which implies the inspection is achievable without major disassembly for most installations. If the valve is not accessible by that method, the AD does not specify alternate techniques; usual maintenance practice would require an equivalent assessment and the AD does not modify that requirement.

The Directive text supplies no express penalty schedule or enforcement action language within its own paragraphs. It is an Airworthiness Directive issued by CASA and signed by a CASA delegate; the AD states its effective date (13 May 2008) and prescribes mandatory compliance actions and timing (“before further flight after the effective date” for several Requirements). The AD therefore creates immediate compliance obligations for affected aeroplanes in force as a CASA instrument, but the text does not itself set out the enforcement powers, sanctions for non-compliance, or administrative procedures for tolerances, exemptions, or confirmations.

Practitioners should therefore read the AD as imposing mandatory corrective actions without an internal penalty clause, and understand that any sanction for non-compliance would be pursued under the broader CASA regulatory regime, not by a penalty provision inside the AD text. The AD also cross-refers to FAA AD 2008-10-02 (Note 3), indicating the FAA has issued its own implementing document in the United States, which will be effective 12 May 2008. The CASA AD states it “became effective on 13 May 2008,” and it was signed by a CASA delegate (James Coyne). The Directive’s operative compliance times (before further flight) are strict; thus operators who do not perform the required checks and remedial actions before next flight would be operating aircraft that are non-compliant with the Directive as issued.

For precise enforcement mechanisms, penalties, or processes for reporting compliance or seeking relief, the AD text does not provide further detail; readers must consult the surrounding CASA regulatory framework, including the Civil Aviation Act, Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and CASA guidance and enforcement policies applicable to AD compliance and maintenance standards. The AD’s silence on sanctions in its own wording means one must not infer a specific penalty schedule from the Directive itself; the Directive imposes duties and timing but leaves enforcement processes to the regulatory apparatus.

The Directive explicitly cross-references and situates itself relative to the FAA’s parallel AD. Note 3 records: “FAA AD 2008-10-02 Amdt 39-15508, which becomes effective on 12 May 2008, refers.” The CASA AD became effective on 13 May 2008. The text also records that the FAA received reports of improper installation of the part number identification placard on alternate static air source selector valves across a range of Cessna models (including the 206 series), and that the affected P/N 2013142-18 parts were manufactured between 20 November 2007 and 18 February 2008. The CASA AD thus functions in parallel with the FAA AD: it adopts the safety concern, aligns timing, but varies the inspection requirements to allow the aeroplane operator to use maintenance records (the CASA variation is an explicit interaction point).

The Directive touches other regulatory domains without specifying them. For example:

• Continuing airworthiness obligations. The AD instructs operators and maintenance entities to inspect and remediate as a continuing airworthiness measure. The Directive must therefore be implemented in the operator’s maintenance and airworthiness management processes, including maintenance records and entry in logbooks as required under airworthiness regulations. The AD does not re-write those regimes, but compliance will ordinarily require updating maintenance release documentation and continuing airworthiness records.
• Parts and supply-chain compliance. The AD affects the handling of spares and replacement parts: Requirement 5 mandates inspection of P/N 2013142-18 valves prior to installation if installed on or after the effective date. That interacts with parts procurement, inventory control and release-for-installation processes. Cessna’s corrective action in stock is reported in the background, but the AD places a practical obligation on Australian operators and maintainers for spares in the country.
• Licence boundaries. The AD authorises aeroplane operators holding at least a private pilot’s licence to accomplish and certify the Requirement 1.b records determination (Note 2). That is an internal CASA delegation model specific to this Directive and interacts with standard licensing and maintenance certification regimes by allowing a degree of operator self-certification in the limited records-check context.
• Foreign regulator alignment. The AD’s proximate connection to FAA AD 2008-10-02 means operators operating internationally should be aware of parallel obligations under FAA rules and potential differences in wording and compliance deadlines. The CASA AD explicitly indicates it has varied inspection requirements compared with the FAA AD (by allowing operator-record inspections), so the regulatory obligations may differ in process though not in safety aim.

The Directive does not mention other Australian statutes or regulations by name within its text; it therefore does not purport to alter or supersede broader aviation safety legislation. For enforcement mechanisms, reporting, or exemption procedures, the AD is silent , those interactions will be governed by CASA’s overarching regulatory framework and enforcement processes, which the AD does not restate.

The AD text itself contains limited internal amendment history. What the Directive does record is:

• Part-number lineage. Note 1 states: “P/N 2013142-18 replaced P/Ns 2013142-9, -13 and -17.” That records a parts replacement history and is material to interpreting applicability and to tracing whether older parts might have been superseded.
• Manufacturing window identified by the FAA. The background references the FAA’s discovery that the placard-related problem affected valves “manufactured between 20 November 2007 and 18 February 2008.” That is a factual window provided by the FAA AD that informs risk assessment and the rationale for limiting application to P/N 2013142-18 “installed after 19 November 2007.”
• Effective dates. The FAA AD is noted as becoming effective on 12 May 2008 (Note 3), and the CASA AD becomes effective on 13 May 2008 (Compliance paragraph). Those dates establish the operational timing and sequence of the two regulators’ instruments.
• CASA variation. The Directive states: “CASA has varied the inspection requirements to allow the aeroplane operator to determine if a P/N 2013142-18 selector valve has been installed since 19 November 2007.” That statement records, vis-a-vis the FAA AD, a policy variation in inspection procedure. The Directive does not provide a textual history of amendments to the CASA AD itself; it is the AD in its final form dated 6 May 2008 and effective 13 May 2008.

The AD does not include any later amendments, revocations, or superseding notations within the provided text. There is no internal history of subsequent revisions, transitional relief, or rescission recorded in the text supplied. For any amendments after the AD’s effective date, users must consult CASA’s public AD database or regulatory updates; none are set out inside this Directive.

The Directive text does not cite any cases, judicial decisions, administrative appeals or other litigation connected to its issuance or content. The background narrative describes investigative findings (FAA quality control discovery, Cessna’s corrective actions in stock) but does not record any legal challenges, contested enforcement actions, or litigation involving operators, manufacturers or regulators. The AD also does not reference prior CASA decisions, tribunal outcomes or court rulings.

Because the supplied text contains no litigation history, analysts should treat the absence of litigation material as information: the AD itself contains no named disputes or authorities beyond the FAA AD cross-reference. If a practitioner requires whether any court or tribunal has considered this AD, the AD does not contain that information and an external search of case law, administrative appeals, or enforcement action records would be necessary. The Directive does refer to the FAA’s parallel action (FAA AD 2008-10-02) which may have its own record of compliance or enforcement steps in the United States, but the CASA AD does not report litigation histories for either regulator.

The Directive contains several practical pitfalls and subtleties that can lead to non-compliance or incomplete remediation if missed.

• Applicability hinge on installation date and part number. The AD applies to aeroplanes that “have an alternate static air source selector valve, part number (P/N) 2013142-18, installed after 19 November 2007.” Operators using only serial-number screening without verifying maintenance records against installation dates or spare-part installs risk misclassifying affected aircraft. Note 1 also records that P/N 2013142-18 replaced earlier P/Ns, so parts-history tracing is essential. Do not rely solely on model or serial number without confirming actual P/N installations.
• Manufacturing windows vs install-date threshold. The background cites the FAA’s finding that affected valves were manufactured between 20 November 2007 and 18 February 2008, while the CASA AD operational threshold is “installed after 19 November 2007.” The one-day offset at the start of the window and the differing phrasing mean careful attention is needed when reconciling manufacturer manufacturing dates, delivery dates, and installation dates in maintenance records.
• Records inspection is authorised but must be certifiable. Note 2 allows an aeroplane operator with at least a private pilot’s licence to accomplish and certify the Requirement 1.b inspection. That is convenient for smaller operators, but the Directive expects a verifiable certification. If records are incomplete or ambiguous, the operator should not rely on the records-check shortcut; instead follow the full physical inspection (Requirement 3).
• Physical inspection technique is specific and limited. Requirement 3 prescribes inspection “to assure that the part number identification placard is not obstructing the port” and specifies seat adjustment “as far aft as possible” and the use of a “flashlight and mirror” to inspect the valve’s forward port. If the valve is not accessible via the cockpit or if the inspector cannot get a clear view with the prescribed method, the AD does not give a substitute technique; practitioners should document why the prescribed method could not be completed and perform a more intrusive inspection as required by maintenance standards.
• Immediate grounding risk if obstruction found. Requirement 4 requires removal and disposal of the placard and assurance that the port is open “before further flight after the Requirement 1 inspection.” If an obstruction is found during the first check and removal is not completed prior to the scheduled next flight, the aircraft would be non-compliant pending rectification.
• Spares and prior-installed parts. Requirement 5 requires inspection of P/N 2013142-18 valves installed as modifications or replacement parts on or after the Directive’s effective date prior to installation. Organisations that use on-the-shelf spares, or that install parts received from third parties, must embed the inspection into their release-for-installation process. Failure to inspect spares before installation risks introducing a defective part during maintenance.
• Cessna’s inability to quantify field exposure. The background observation that “Cessna has no way of verifying how many of these assemblies were manufactured and sent to the field with the part number identification placard installed over the alternate static air source selector valve port” means operators cannot rely on manufacturer-led recall completeness. Operators must assume possible exposure until they have inspected their aircraft and spares.
• Differences with FAA AD. CASA explicitly “varied the inspection requirements” relative to the FAA AD by allowing the records-check option. Operators who fly in multiple jurisdictions or whose maintenance is coordinated with international organisations should be aware that the FAA AD and CASA AD may differ in process, and compliance with one regulator’s procedural pathway may not be identical to compliance under the other.
• Documentation gap in enforcement language. The AD imposes strict “before further flight” timelines but does not include explicit enforcement, penalty or reporting clauses within the text. That creates a procedural “gotcha” for operators who may assume fewer formal obligations , the AD’s timing remains mandatory and is to be respected regardless of the absence of internal sanctions.

The Directive’s compliance pathway is concise and prescriptive. The following practical checklist mirrors the AD’s Requirements and Notes exactly, translating the AD text into a stepwise workflow that meets the AD’s stated obligations.

1. Establish applicability

   • Check the aeroplane model and serial number against Table 1 in the AD (models: 206, 206H, P206, U206, T206H, TU206A-G; see the AD’s Table 1 and serial-number columns).
   • Confirm whether the aeroplane has an alternate static air source selector valve P/N 2013142-18 that was installed after 19 November 2007. If the valve P/N is not 2013142-18 or was not installed after 19 November 2007, the AD’s requirements do not apply to that aeroplane (see Applicability and Requirement 1.b).

2. Choose the initial compliance path (Requirement 1)

   • Path A (physical inspection): Inspect the alternate static air source selector valve in accordance with Requirement 3 (see below). This is the default physical pathway.
   • Path B (record check): Inspect the aeroplane’s maintenance records to determine if the P/N 2013142-18 valve has been installed since 19 November 2007. If the records show no installation since that date, no further action is necessary. Note 2 permits an aeroplane operator holding at least a private pilot’s licence to accomplish and certify the Requirement 1.b records determination.

3. If records show P/N 2013142-18 installed, or if you chose the physical inspection path, perform the prescribed inspection (Requirement 3)

   • Adjust the pilot and copilot seats as far aft as possible (Requirement 3.a).
   • Use a flashlight and a mirror to inspect the alternate static air source selector valve and assure the port on the forward end of the valve is clearly visible and not covered by the part number identification placard (Requirement 3.b).
   • Document the inspection in the maintenance records or pilot/operator certification, including who performed the inspection, the date, the method used and the outcome.

4. Remedial action if obstruction found (Requirement 4)

   • If the forward port is obstructed by the part number identification placard, remove the placard from the valve body and discard the placard (Requirement 4).
   • Ensure the port is open and unobstructed after placard removal.
   • Complete the remedial action before further flight after the Requirement 1 inspection (Requirement 4 timing).
   • Record the corrective action in the maintenance logbook, including part identification, removal action and sign-off by authorised maintenance personnel or the aeroplane operator if certified under Note 2.

5. Spares and installations (Requirement 5)

   • For any P/N 2013142-18 selector valve installed as a modification or replacement on or after the AD’s effective date (13 May 2008), inspect the valve in accordance with Requirement 3 prior to installation. This applies both to parts taken from stock and parts received from third parties.
   • Implement a parts-inspection step in procurement, inventory control and release-for-installation procedures to ensure no P/N 2013142-18 valve with an obstructing placard is installed.

6. Timing and flight status

   • Complete Requirements 1, 2 and 3 before further flight after the Directive’s effective date (Compliance paragraph). If the AD was not complied with before a planned flight, defer flight until compliance can be achieved.
   • Ensure Requirement 4 actions are completed before further flight after the Requirement 1 inspection where an obstruction is found.

7. Certification and recordkeeping

   • If using Requirement 1.b (the records check) and certifying under Note 2, ensure the certifying operator holds at least a private pilot’s licence and sign the inspection record accordingly.
   • Maintain maintenance records supporting whichever compliance path was used. Although the AD does not prescribe a specific form, entries should be clear, dated, and signed by the person who performed or certified the action, and should identify the P/N and serial numbers as applicable.

8. If the valve is inaccessible or inspection cannot be completed using the prescribed cockpit technique

   • Document the reason and perform the necessary maintenance to access and inspect the valve by other suitable means consistent with applicable maintenance standards.
   • Record the alternative inspection technique and results in the maintenance documentation.

9. Coordination with manufacturer or supplier

   • Given Cessna’s statement that stock had been corrected but that there is no way of verifying all field assemblies, consider contacting the supplier/manufacturer for traceability information on P/N 2013142-18 valves you have procured or installed.
   • Keep supplier communications and any corrective assurances in the maintenance records.

10. Cross-border operations

• If the aeroplane operates under or into jurisdictions governed by the FAA or other authorities, be aware of FAA AD 2008-10-02 (effective 12 May 2008) and confirm whether any procedural differences require additional steps for international compliance. CASA’s AD varies inspection requirements by allowing the records check; ensure any international compliance requirements are also satisfied for operations outside Australia.

Following these steps will satisfy the Directive’s explicit requirements as written. The AD does not provide instructions for reporting compliance to CASA within its own text; practitioners should adopt their standard compliance reporting and recording practices in line with CASA guidance and regulatory obligations.