SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN
Aircraft Certification Service
Washington, DC
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
CE-10-02

October 7, 2009

This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin informs you of an airworthiness concern on all variants of Glaser-Dirks Flugzeugbau Model DG-100 and DG-200 series sailplanes, all serial numbers, except for the Model DG-100 sailplanes.

Background

During a pre-flight inspection of a DG-100 sailplane, the rod end of the aileron control push-rod at the control column was found broken. An investigation revealed that the broken rod end was made from inappropriate machining steel. DG Fluzeugbau has issued Technical Note No. 301/25, 323/16 to establish corrective actions.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive No. 2009-0167-E, dated July 30, 2009. This AD requires a before-further-flight inspection and possible replacement of the aileron control rod end.

Recommendations

These sailplanes (except for the Model DG-100) are not type certificated in the United States and, therefore, the condition is not addressed by FAA AD action.

We recommend all owners and operators comply with actions outlined in DG Flugzeugbau Technical Note No. 301/25, 323/16.

For Further Information Contact

Gregory Davison, Aerospace Engineer, FAA Small Airplane Directorate, Room 301, 901 Locust Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4130; facsimile: (816) 329-4090; email: Gregory.Davison@faa.gov

For Related Service Information Contact

DG-Flugzeugbau GmbH
Otto Lilienthal Weg 2 / Am Flugplatz
76646 Bruchsal
Germany
Phone: +49 7251 3020-0
Fax: +49 7251 3020-200
Email: http://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de/index-e.html