EASA AD No : 2011-0097 

EASA Form 110 Page 1/3 

EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 

AD No.: 2011-0097 

Date: 25 May 2011 

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 EC 1702/2003, Part 21A.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]. 

Type 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: None 

ATA 53 Fuselage – Nose Landing Gear Bay Left Hand Sidewall Stiffeners – 

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, if a 

nose landing gear bay left hand sidewall with one of the following part 

numbers is installed: HC537L0002-000, -002 and -004, HC537H8021-000, 

-002 and -004 and HC537H8018-000. 

Reason: During accomplishment of EASA AD 2007-0305 on an Avro 146-RJ85, a 

corner crack was found on the left hand Nose Landing Gear (NLG) sidewall 

well. The crack was located on one of the sidewall stiffeners adjacent to the 

area being inspected. In this instance, the cracking was severe enough to 

warrant replacement of the sidewall. Analysis has shown that these types of 

cracks are likely to exist or develop in other aeroplanes of the same design. 

This condition, if not detected and corrected, could result in failure of the 

sidewall and consequent in-flight rapid decompression of the cabin and injury 

to its occupants. 

For the reasons described above, this AD requires repetitive inspections of 

the stiffeners on the left hand NLG sidewall. This AD also introduces an 

optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. 
EASA AD No : 2011-0097 

EASA Form 110 Page 2/3 

Effective Date: 08 June 2011 

Required action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s): 

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: 

(1) Before the aeroplane accumulates 12 000 flight cycles (FC) or within 

4 000 FC after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and 

thereafter at intervals not to exceed 12 000 FC, perform a high frequency 

eddy current inspection of the stiffeners on the NLG gear bay left hand 

sidewall adjacent to the boss at the NLG retraction jack attachment pin 

hole in accordance with the instructions of paragraph 2.C. of the BAE 

Systems (Operations) Limited Inspection Service Bulletin (ISB) 53-229 

Revision 1.

(2) If, during the inspections required by paragraph (1) of this AD, any crack 

is found in the stiffeners, before next flight, contact BAE Systems 

(Operations) Ltd. for approved repair instructions and accomplish those 

instructions accordingly or, at the operator’s discretion, replace the NLG 

left hand bay sidewall with sidewall P/N HC537L0002-006 in accordance 

with the instructions of paragraph 2.G. of BAE Systems (Operations) 

Limited ISB.53-229 Revision 1. 

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

of this AD, in accordance with the instructions of BAE Systems 

(Operations) Ltd ISB.53-229 at original issue, are considered acceptable 

for compliance with the requirements of this AD. 

(4) Replacement of the sidewall with sidewall P/N HC537L0002-006 on an 

aeroplane, in accordance with the instructions of paragraph 2.G. of the 

BAE Systems (Operations) Limited ISB.53-229 Revision 1 constitutes 

terminating action for the repetitive inspection requirements of this AD for 

that aeroplane. 

Note: 

After replacement of the sidewall in accordance with the accomplishment 

instructions of paragraph 2.G. of the BAE Systems (Operations) Limited 

ISB.53-229 Revision 1, no further inspections are required until the 

airframe life limit, as defined in AMM 05-10-01, is reached and the 

aeroplane enters the Supplemental Structural Inspection Document 

programme. 

(5) After installation of a NLG gear bay left hand sidewall with sidewall with 

P/N HC537L0002-006 on an aeroplane, in accordance with the 

requirements of paragraph (2) of this AD or as specified in paragraph (4) 

of this AD, as applicable, do not install on an aeroplane a sidewall with 

one of the following Part Numbers on that aeroplane: HC537L0002-000, -

002 and -004, HC537H8021-000, -002 and -004 and HC537H8018-000. 

Ref. Publications: BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Inspection Service Bulletin ISB.53-229 

Revision 1 dated 22 November 2010. 

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 18 April 2011 as PAD 11-041 for consultation 

until 16 May 2011. No comments were received during the consultation 

period. 

3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the Airworthiness 

Directives, Safety Management & Research Section, Certification 

Directorate, EASA. E-mail ADs@easa.europa.eu. 
EASA AD No : 2011-0097 

EASA Form 110 Page 3/3 

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, United 

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

E-mail: RApublications@baesystems.com.