The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) on the wing spar caps of Cessna 210 aircraft in the wake of a fatal accident in Queensland last year.
T210 VH-SUX crashed near Mount Isa in May 2019 after an in-flight break-up. The ATSB investigation is not yet complete, but preliminary findings determined that the wing spar fractured through an area of fatigue cracking.
"This AD requires visual and eddy current inspections of the carry-thru spar lower cap, corrective action if necessary, application of a protective coating and corrosion inhibiting compound (CIC), and reporting the inspection results to the FAA," the AD demands.
"This AD was prompted by the in-flight break-up of a Model T210M airplane in Australia, due to fatigue cracking that initiated at a corrosion pit, and subsequent reports of other Model series airplanes with widespread and severe corrosion.
"The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products."
Australia has more than 280 Cessna 210s of several variants on the civil register, many of which are used on charter and airwork operations in outback regions. The C210 is also a popular private aeroplane.
The details of the AD are on the CASA website.