SAFO 10016

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SAFOSafety Alert for Operators U.S. Department SAFO 10016 of Transportation DATE: 8/26/10 Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards Service Washington, DC http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo A SAFO contains important safety information and may include recommended action. SAFO content should be especially valuable to air carriers in meeting their statutory duty to provide service with the highest possible degree of safety in the public interest. Besides the specific action recommended in a SAFO, an alternative action may be as effective in addressing the safety issue named in the SAFO. Subject: Missing or Improper Seat Stops in Cessna Models Purpose: This SAFO reminds inspectors, operators, owners and maintenance technicians that type design seat stops are required to be installed on all seat rails to meet airworthy requirements. Background: Missing or improper seat stops have been found on several Cessna models including 150, 152, 172 and 206. These seat stops are also found on Cessna models 303, 336 and 337; and all legacy (pre-1987) single-engine Cessna models 170, 175, 177, 180, 182, 185, 188, 190, 195, 205, 207 and 210. Cessna has identified seat stops as an important piece of equipment required for safety by inserting a warning note into their service manuals to ensure that seat stops are installed in the proper positions on the rails for each seat. Discussion: Improperly installed, worn or incorrect seat stop installations could allow the pilot and or co-pilot seats to depart the rails during critical phases of flight, such as take-off and landing. The seat stops need to be inspected at regular intervals for condition and proper installation to ensure the continued airworthiness of the seat stops. The Cessna service manual recommends inspection of seat stops at the 100 hour/Annual inspection, although not all of the Cessna service manuals provide instructions that specifically address inspection of the stops for condition, proper location or that the stops are approved parts. Recommended Action: Recommend operators ensure seat stops are inspected at their scheduled inspections intervals for proper location, seat stops are in airworthy condition by not being bent, cracked or worn and the stops are the proper part identified in the parts catalog. Contact: Questions or comments concerning this SAFO can be directed to Ron Center, Kansas City Aircraft Evaluation Group, FAA, by telephone at (316) 941-1242 or by fax at (316) 941-1279 for more information. Distributed by: AFS-200 OPR: AFS-300