Aircraft
Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
CE-15-06
November 26, 2014
This is information only. Recommendations
aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin is being issued to
advise you of an airworthiness concern on Alexander Schleicher Model
ASW-19 gliders, specifically that operators assure that the glider
battery has been properly installed and secured before each flight.
At this time, this airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition
that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14
of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.
Background
The FAA is aware of an accident report involving an Alexander
Schleicher Model ASW-19 glider. There are indications that the battery
and retention bracket had separated from the battery retention tray and
may have struck the pilot. The battery in the Model ASW-19 glider is
mounted approximately 6 inches behind and directly in line with the
pilot’s head. The battery sits in a shallow metal tray attached to the
glider. There is a ‘U’-shaped metal retention bracket that fits over
the battery and secures to the tray by means of a mating flange on the
right-hand side and by a long thumb screw threading into a steel block
on the left-hand side. If installed properly, testing by the
manufacturer shows that the battery installation meets the applicable
certification requirements.
We are also aware of a report indicating that pilots may not be
properly securing the battery when installing it in the retention tray.
Recommendations
We recommend that operators assure that the glider battery has been
properly installed and secured before each flight. All manufacturer’s
instructions should be followed.
For Further Information Contact
Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, 901 Locust Room 301, Kansas City,
MO 64106; phone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; e-mail:
jim.rutherford@faa.gov.