How should non-conformities be dispositioned to avoid recurrence and maintain airworthiness?

• A. Disposition options include repair, replace, accept with concessions if permitted, or discard; ensure root cause addressed via CAPA.
• B. Non-conformities should always be accepted as is.
• C. Only repair is acceptable.
• D. Disposal must be completed by maintenance shop.

Answer: (A)

When a part, component, or process doesn’t meet requirements, the way you decide to handle it should restore airworthiness and prevent the issue from happening again. The best approach includes multiple options for disposition—repair, replace, accept with concessions if permitted by approved data or authority, or discard—and, crucially, it requires addressing the root cause through a CAPA process (Corrective and Preventive Action). This means you not only fix the immediate non-conformity but also investigate why it occurred, implement actions to prevent recurrence, and verify effectiveness. If the data or authority allows, a concession can be accepted, but only within those approved limits and documentation. If restoration isn’t feasible or permitted, discard the item to avoid introducing risk into the fleet. This approach keeps the aircraft safe, maintains regulatory compliance, and reduces the chance of repeated non-conformities.

Other options fall short because they’re too narrow or impractical: accepting non-conformities as-is can compromise airworthiness; relying only on repair ignores cases where replacement or disposal is required; and requiring disposal to be done only by a maintenance shop unnecessarily restricts who may perform authorized dispositions. The key is to follow approved data, perform a CAPA to eliminate the root cause, and choose the disposition that maintains airworthiness.