Navigate / EASA

M.A.403 Aircraft defects

Regulation (EU) 2021/1963

(a)     Any aircraft defect that hazards seriously the flight safety shall be rectified before further flight.

(b)     Only the certifying staff referred to in point M.A.801(b)(1) or in Subpart F of this Annex or in Annex II (Part-145) or in Annex Vd (Part-CAO), or the person authorised in accordance with point M.A.801(c) of this Annex can decide, using maintenance data referred to in point M.A.401 of this Annex, whether an aircraft defect hazards seriously the flight safety and therefore decide when and which rectification action shall be taken before further flight and which defect rectification can be deferred. However, this does not apply when the MEL is used by the pilot or by the certifying staff.

(c)      Any aircraft defect that would not hazard seriously the flight safety shall be rectified as soon as practicable, after the date the aircraft defect was first identified and within any limits specified in the maintenance data or the MEL.

(d)     Any defect not rectified before flight shall be recorded in the aircraft continuing airworthiness record system referred to in point M.A.305 or, if applicable in the aircraft technical log system referred to in point M.A.306.