Airworthiness Bulletin AWB 52-006 Issue 2 - 02 January 2025

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AWB 52-006 Issue 2 02 January 2025 Page 1 of 3 Airworthiness Bulletin AWB 52-006 Issue 2 - 02 January 2025 Textron/Cessna 206 Rear Cargo Door Exit An Airworthiness Bulletin is an advisory document that alerts, educates and makes recommendations about airworthiness matters. Recommendations in this bulletin are not mandatory. 1. Effectivity Textron Aviation Inc. (formerly Cessna Aircraft Company) model 206, U206, U206A, U206B, U206C, U206D, U206E, U206F, U206G, TU206A, TU206B, TU206C, TU206D, TU206E, TU206F, TU206G, 206H and T206H aircraft, all S/N. 2. Purpose The purpose of this Airworthiness Bulletin is to make registered operators, operators and pilots aware of a situation that may arise with emergency egress from the rear right hand exit of the aircraft and to recommend some interim actions. At this time, the airworthiness concern described in this Airworthiness Bulletin is not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive to be issued under Part 39 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998. 3. Background In January 2020 a Cessna U206G made an emergency landing into shallow water and was partially submerged. During egress, one person attempted to exit the rear cargo door and found egress impeded by the position of the flaps, which when extended, stop the forward part of the cargo door from opening fully. There have been other similar reports of difficulty in exiting the aircraft from the rear door, which is a designated emergency exit. Transport Canada released an Airworthiness Directive AD CF-2020-10 which be obtained from the TC AD website at https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/cawis-swimn/AD_dl.a. The AD contains certain actions which are intended to mitigate the risk of operations with cargo doors when used as an emergency exit. AWB 52-006 Issue 2 02 January 2025 Page 2 of 3 4. References Transport Canada (TCCA) Airworthiness Directive (AD) CF-2020-10. European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) 2020-16. New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (NZ CAA) Continuing Airworthiness Notice (CAN) 25-003. Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia (CASA) AD/CESSNA 206/47 Amdt 3. 5. Recommendations This recent occurrence highlights the issue of the difficulty of emergency evacuation through the rear cargo door when the flaps are extended in the Cessna 206. In order to mitigate risk and as an interim action (pending any further state of design or OEM action on the issue):  Pilots should be aware that lowering the flaps may obstruct this exit and significantly increase the difficulty of opening the forward door section of the rear cargo door. All passenger pre-flight briefings should include a practical demonstration of how to open and egress the aircraft through a flap obstructed cargo door. This will require a demonstration with flaps lowered to at least 20 degrees to demonstrate the condition. Care should be taken to not damage the flap or door during this demonstration.  Additionally, in the event that an emergency landing or water ditching is required, pilots should consider retracting the flaps if possible after the emergency landing or if operationally feasible, limit the amount of flap extension to a maximum of 10 degrees. This would of course be a judgement made by the pilot in command based on operational factors, severity of the emergency/damage to aircraft and if there are occupants seated in the rear of the aircraft.  It is strongly recommended that registered operators and operators of affected Cessna 206, T206, TU206 and U206 aircraft series, review TC AD CF-2020-10 and give due consideration to compliance with the intent of this document, however compliance is not mandatory under CASR Part 39, because the AD is not from the state of design. Note: CASA has an active AD “AD/CESSNA 206/47 Amdt 3 Rear Door Emergency Exit” for Australian registered aircraft, which depending on the applicability based on the aircraft model, mandates the requirement for installing either a placard or accomplishing the installation of Cessna Service Bulletin SEB 91-4 that modifies the aircraft with a “return spring” feature for the red emergency release handle. Accomplishment of this S/B removes one of the most significant known factors which made egress difficult in past accidents. 6. Reporting Not required. AWB 52-006 Issue 2 02 January 2025 Page 3 of 3 7. Enquiries Enquiries with regard to the content of this Airworthiness Bulletin should be made via the direct link email address: AirworthinessBulletin@casa.gov.au or in writing, to: Airworthiness and Engineering Branch National Operations and Standards Civil Aviation Safety Authority GPO Box 2005, Canberra, ACT, 2601