Strengthening Vigilance Against Suspected Unapproved Parts in Aviation

On  September 8, 1989,  a Convair CV-580 aircraft flying under  Norwegian Charter Airline Partnair Flight  394  broke apart in mid-air and crashed off the coast of Denmark, killing all 55 passengers and crew.  The investigators concluded that the crash was caused by improper maintenance and the use of counterfeit fasteners.

These counterfeit fasteners were installed on the structure that held the vertical fin and fuselage together. As they were not properly heat-treated during manufacture, they eventually gave way. As a result of this incident, the authorities began to initiate reforms and clamp down on counterfeit parts suppliers.

Today, as the aviation industry recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions and the resultant shortages in aircraft parts, particularly raw materials and electronic components, can pose challenges to recovery efforts.  These shortages affect the ability of Approved Maintenance Organisations (AMOs)  to perform maintenance and repair work, and may eventually lead to delays in the delivery of aircraft and aeronautical products needed to support aircraft operations.

The shortage of aircraft parts coupled with operational pressure to deliver aeronautical products on time may lead organisations to seek suppliers through alternative sources, thus increasing the risk of Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUPs)  infiltrating our supply chains. When installed, SUPs can have serious airworthiness implications and may compromise the reliability and safety of aircraft and aeronautical products. The  Civil  Aviation  Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has been actively engaging stakeholders and emphasising the importance of enhancing their quality systems and processes to better detect and prevent SUPs from entering the system.

What are SUPs?

SUPs are any aircraft parts, including products, components or materials, from unknown or questionable origins. These SUPs are typically not manufactured, maintained or tested to meet airworthiness standards by qualified organisations and personnel. They are not approved and do not meet regulatory requirements for installation on aircraft or any aeronautical products. SUPs include, but are not limited  to the following:

• parts that are not accompanied by authorised release  certificates or equivalent release  documents acceptable to the respective Civil  Aviation  Authorities,
• parts that have  been  intentionally misrepresented, including counterfeit parts that are accompanied by falsified  release documentation,
• new parts that were  manufactured in accordance with approved data and procedures by an approved manufacturer but did not pass  through an approved quality system and are not accompanied with proper documentation
• used  or defective parts that were  not repaired or maintained in accordance with approved airworthiness data and procedures, or were repaired or maintained by unauthorised personnel, and
• new or used  parts that originate from military  stocks that have  not been  shown to conform to approved design or data

Maintaining Vigilance Against SUPs

 The aviation community must continue to stay vigilant against SUPs and work together to mitigate any risk of SUPs entering our supply chain network. SUPs programmes within organisations that ensure only approved parts are used are key to achieving this. Consider the following factors when formulating an SUPs programme:

• Reputable aircraft parts suppliers – Dealing with reputable suppliers with good track records ensures that only approved aircraft parts are used on aircraft and aeronautical products. A comprehensive supplier evaluation framework is essential for the initial selection and ongoing assessment of suppliers that an organisation engages with.
• Robust receiving inspection procedures – Establishing robust incoming inspection procedures is crucial in identifying and rejecting SUPs before they enter an organisation’s supply chain system. The inspection procedures should verify that aircraft parts can be traced to approved manufacturers and suppliers, and are free from alteration, irregularities or damage. Supporting documentation, including airworthiness certificates, should also be reviewed against the aircraft parts to confirm traceability and authenticity.
• Quarantine and timely reporting of SUPs – When  SUPs are identified, they should be immediately quarantined, and the incident reported to the relevant authorities and type certificate holders. Reports to CAAS should be submitted within  72 hours.  Organisations may refer to CAAS Advisory Circular 1 – 4 on “Suspected Unapproved Parts”.