Airworthiness Directives; American Champion Aircraft Corporation 7, 8, and 11 Series Airplanes

This amendment supersedes Airworthiness Directive (AD) 98-05- 04, which currently requires you to repetitively inspect the front and rear wood spars for damage (including installing any as-needed inspection holes) and repair or replace any damaged wood spar on certain American Champion Aircraft Corporation (ACAC) Model 8GCBC airplanes. Damage is defined as cracks, compression cracks, longitudinal cracks through the bolt holes or nail holes, or loose or missing nails. This AD retains the actions of AD 98-05-04 for the ACAC Model 8GCBC airplanes; extends the actions to all ACAC 7, 8, and 11 series airplanes (except the inspections are not repetitive for certain 7 and 11 series airplanes); incorporates alternative methods of accomplishing the actions; and requires reporting any damage found. This AD is the result of a review of the service history of the affected airplanes that incorporate wood wing spars where damage was found in this area and consideration of all public comments received. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect and repair or replace damaged wood wing spars. Continued operation with such damage could progress to in-flight structural failure of the wing with consequent loss of control of the airplane.