Airworthiness Directives; Cessna Aircraft Company Models 402C and 414A Airplanes

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to supersede AD 2005-05-52 (70 FR 13362, March 21, 2005), which applies to all Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Models 402C and 414A airplanes. AD 2005-05-52 currently requires you to eddy current inspect the forward wing spars and visually inspect the aft and auxiliary spars. This AD is the result of fatigue and crack growth analyses of the wings of these airplanes, recent cracks found on Model 402C airplanes, and the FAA's determination that repetitive inspections and a wing spar modification are necessary to address the unsafe condition. Consequently, this AD would require repetitive eddy current inspections, visual inspections, and a spar strap modification on each wing. You must retain the actions of AD 2005-05-52 until you do the modifications of this AD. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent wing spar cap failure caused by undetected fatigue cracks. Such failure could result in loss of a wing with consequent loss of airplane control. FAA is also issuing AD 2005-12-12 to require the spar strap modification and long-term inspections on Models 401, 401A, 402, 402A, 402B, 411, and 411A airplanes.