The FAA is adopting an airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cirrus Design Corp. Model SR22 airplanes equipped with an anti-ice system approved for flight into known icing conditions.
Effective Dec. 21, owners and operators of affected aircraft must inspect the compression fittings on the anti-ice fluid distribution lines for proper installation and repair any fittings that were not properly installed.
The manufacturer had found some anti-ice fluid distribution lines where the compression fittings were not properly installed. A line separation could result in a total loss of the fluid supply to protected surfaces, which in turn would allow ice to build on the airplane and degrade the handling qualities and performance, the FAA said in the AD.
Before further flight, owners and operators must install a placard on the instrument panel to notify pilots that flight into known or forecast icing is prohibited. After inspecting and repairing as necessary the anti-ice fluid line compression fittings, they may remove the placard.
For more information on aircraft icing, read the AOPA Air Safety Foundation’s Safety Spotlight.
