EASA AD No.: 2013-0207

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 

AD No.: 2013-0207 

Date: 09 September 2013 

Note: This Airworthiness Directive (AD) is issued by EASA, acting in accordance with Regulation 

(EC) No 216/2008 on behalf of the European Community, its Member States and of the 

European third countries that participate in the activities of EASA under Article 66 of that 

Regulation.

This AD is issued in accordance with EU 748/2012, Part 21.A.3B. In accordance with EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.301, the 

continuing airworthiness of an aircraft shall be ensured by accomplishing any applicable ADs. Consequently, no person may operate an 

aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that AD, unless otherwise specified by the Agency [EC 

2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.303] or agreed with the Authority of the State of Registry [EC 216/2008, Article 14(4) exemption]. 

Design Approval Holder’s Name: 

BAE SYSTEMS (OPERATIONS) LTD 

Type/Model designation(s): 

BAe 146 and AVRO 146-RJ aeroplanes 

TCDS Number: EASA.A.182 

Foreign AD: Not applicable 

Supersedure: This AD supersedes EASA AD 2012-0184 dated 12 September 2012. 

ATA 53 Fuselage – Rear Fuselage Skin and Frames – Inspection / Repair 

Manufacturer(s): BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd, British Aerospace plc, British Aerospace 

(Commercial Aircraft) Ltd, British Aerospace (Operations) Ltd, British 

Aerospace Regional Aircraft Ltd, British Aerospace Regional Aircraft trading as 

Avro International Aerospace. 

Applicability: BAe 146 and AVRO 146-RJ aeroplanes, all models, all serial numbers 

Reason: In 2012, a pressurisation problem occurred on an AVRO 146-RJ100 aeroplane 

during climb-out. Subsequent investigation results identified a 42.87 inch (1089 

mm) long crack in the fuselage skin in the rear fuselage drum, near the rear 

passenger door. The skin crack had initiated in the step of the skin land 

adjacent to a lap joint. In addition to the skin crack, cracks were found in 

Frames 41X and 42. 

This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to degradation of the 

structural integrity of the aeroplane. 

Prompted by this finding, BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd issued Inspection 

Service Bulletin (ISB) 53-239, providing instructions to inspect the internal area 

of the rear fuselage drum for cracks, corrosion and any other defects and EASA 

issued AD 2012-0178 which required accomplishment of a one-time inspection 

of the affected fuselage area and, depending on findings, repair of cracked 

structural items. Following the issuance of that AD, some new information on 

additional damage found on the aeroplane that had the pressurisation problem 

resulted in a further review of the cracking event. This review concluded that 

the event was more serious than previously considered and that the 

compliance time must be reduced in order to mitigate the risk of cracking on 

other aeroplanes. As a result, EASA issued AD 2012-0184 which superseded 
EASA AD No.: 2013-0207

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EASA AD 2012-0178. 

After analysing the responses to EASA AD 2012-0184, which covered the initial 

inspection of stringer 30, left hand (LH) and right hand (RH), BAE Systems 

(Operations) Ltd also assessed the similar design features at other skin lands in 

the rear fuselage drum, namely at stringer 2 right and stringers 11 and 18, LH 

and RH. As a result, they determined that inspections at the other stringers 

would be required and also that repeat inspections of all these stringers would 

be necessary. Consequently, BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd ISB.53-239 

Revision 1 and 2 were issued to include these new inspections. 

For the reasons described above, this AD retains the requirements of EASA AD 

2012-0184, which is superseded, and requires accomplishment of additional 

inspections of the affected fuselage area, including repetitive inspections, and 

depending on findings, repair of cracked structural items. 

Effective Date: 23 September 2013 

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s): 

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: 

(1) Within the compliance time as specified in Table 1 of this AD, as 

applicable, and thereafter, at intervals not to exceed values specified in 

Table 2 of this AD, as applicable to aeroplane modification status, 

accomplish an external eddy current inspection in accordance with the 

instructions of paragraph 2.C of BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd ISB.53-239 

Revision 2. 

Table 1 - Compliance time 

Flight cycles (FC) accumulated 

since aeroplane first flight on 

the effective date of this AD 

Compliance Time 

9 000 FC or more Within 1 000 FC or 6 months, 

whichever occurs first after the 

effective date of this AD 

Less than 9 000 FC Before exceeding 10 000 FC 

since aeroplane first flight 

Table 2 – Repeat inspection intervals 

(2) Inspection and any necessary corrective action accomplished before the 

effective date of this AD on stringer 30, LH or RH, in accordance with BAE 

Systems (Operations) Ltd ISB.53-239 at Initial issue, is acceptable to 

comply with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this AD for that stringer 

30 LH or RH. 

(3) Inspections and corrective actions accomplished before the effective date 

of this AD, in accordance with BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd ISB.53-239 

at Revision 1, are acceptable to comply with the initial inspections required 

by paragraph (1) of this AD. 

(4) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, any crack, 

corrosion, or any other irregularity is detected, before next flight, contact 

BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd for approved repair instructions and, within 

the compliance time as specified in those instructions, accomplish the 

repair accordingly. If no compliance time is defined in the repair 

BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ 

aeroplanes post modification 

HCM50070E, or post 

modification HCM50070F or 

post modification HCM50259A 

BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ 

aeroplanes pre modification 

HCM50070E, and pre 

modification HCM50070F and 

pre modification HCM50259A 

4 000 FC 7 500 FC 
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instructions, accomplish the repair before next flight. 

(5) Accomplishment of a repair, as required by paragraph (4) of this AD, does 

not constitute a terminating action for the inspections required by this AD. 

Ref. Publications: BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd ISB.53-239 Revision 2, dated 15 July 2013. 

The use of later approved revisions of this document is acceptable for 

compliance with the requirements of this AD. 

Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve 

Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD. 

2. This AD was posted on 29 July 2013 as PAD 13-110 for consultation until 

26 August 2013. The Comment Response Document can be found at 

http://ad.easa.europa.eu. 

3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the Safety Information 

Section, Executive Directorate, EASA. E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu. 

4. For any question concerning the technical content of the requirements in 

this AD, please contact: 

BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd, Customer Information Department, 

Prestwick International Airport, Ayrshire, KA9 2RW, Scotland, The United 

Kingdom; Telephone +44 1292 675207, Facsimile +44 1292 675704; 

E-mail: RApublications@baesystems.com.