Citation Latitude (C680A)
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Avionics; Maintenance Inspection Authority
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft
We have been made aware of a potential safety issue on the CE-680A Latitude aircraft. We have discovered several discrepancies against the aircraft for the main cabin door will not unlock from the inside; when red button is pushed to release the handle lock solenoid. Identifying the cause was defects to the red switch solder joints and connections. After review of repairs we also noted that this potentially could be a design flaw because there is no alternate procedure to open the cabin door in an emergency evacuation if needed. Below is a list of what was found and ways we found to open the door if needed as an alternate procedure. We have advised Textron of this issue and they are investigating at this time.The main cabin door will not open from the inside under the following conditions:Cabin Door Handle Release Button malfunctions.Cabin Door Handle Release Button solder joints fail.Cabin Door Handle Release Button soft splices do not retain wiring.Cabin door handle lock solenoid internal clock spring breaks (this scenario has not been confirmed but is believed to be true).Any one of these latent failures prevents the locking solenoid pawl from retracting out of the interior cabin door handle recess and prevents the user from moving the interior door handle.In order to open the cabin door when one of the first three conditions exist:Battery power must be cycled off and back on to release the solenoidThere is a 4 - 5 second window to open the door before the locking solenoid activates again Door can be opened using the outside cabin door handleRemoving the Elcon battery connector from the LH batteryIn case of the fourth condition we believe the user would be required to utilize the emergency exit for egressWe believe a Risk Assessment needs to be raised; and a resolution from Textron to correct any design flaws that may be found.
Technician reported several problems with the design of the CE680 main cabin door and suggests a risk assessment be undertaken.