EASA AD No.: 2012-0076R1

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2012-0076R1

Date: 13 July 2012

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 :

AgustaWestland S.p.A.

Type/Model designation(s) :

AB139 and AW139 helicopters

TCDS Number: EASA.R.006

Foreign AD: Not applicable

Revision: This AD revises EASA AD 2012-0076, which superseded EASA AD 2012-0030 

dated 17 February 2012.

ATA 64 Tail Rotor – Tail Rotor Blades – Inspection / Replacement

Manufacturer(s): AgustaWestland S.p.A (formerly Agusta S.p.A.), AgustaWestland Philadelphia 

Corporation (formerly Agusta Aerospace Corporation).

Applicability: AB139 and AW139 helicopters, all serial numbers.

Reason: In early 2011, an occurrence was reported of tail rotor (T/R) dynamic 

unbalance on an AW139 helicopter.

Pending the results of the investigation for that occurrence, EASA issued AD 

2011-0081 to require, as a precautionary measure, repetitive inspections of 

the T/R blades and, in case of findings, the accomplishment of applicable 

corrective actions.

After that AD was issued, on 19 August 2011, a fatal accident occurred with 

another AW139 helicopter, possibly caused by cracks in a T/R blade.

This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to a T/R structural 

failure, resulting in loss of control of the helicopter.

To address this condition, EASA AD 2011-0156-E was issued to require 

repetitive inspections of T/R blade Part Number (P/N) 3G6410A00131 or P/N 

4G6410A00131 and to set life limits for those blades.

Since EASA AD 2011-00156-E was issued, improved design T/R blades with 

P/N 3G6410A00132 and P/N 4G6410A00132 have been developed and can 

be installed on a helicopter.

EASA issued AD 2012-0030 which added repetitive inspections of the 
EASA AD No.: 2012-0076R1

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improved T/R blades and accomplishment of corrective actions in case of 

discrepancy. It also imposed life limits to the improved T/R blades (improved 

T/R blades and “original” T/R blades have different life limits).

Since EASA AD 2012-0030 was issued, another version of improved T/R 

blades, with different materials, has been developed and can be installed on a 

helicopter. These new blades are identified with P/N 3G6410A00133 and P/N 

4G6410A00133.

EASA issued AD 2012-0076, which retained the inspection requirements of 

EASA AD 2012-0030, which was superseded, and indicated interim life limits 

to the new version of improved T/R blades (each T/R blade P/N has its own 

life limit).

Since EASA AD 2012-0076 was issued, a modification was approved to allow 

installation of T/R blades of different P/Ns under certain conditions.

For this reason, this AD is revised to allow installation of T/R blades of different 

P/Ns on a helicopter.

Note: Where this AD refers to life limits for the parts, AgustaWestland specifies 

quarantine limits in their Bollettino Tecnico (BT).

Effective Date: Revision 1: 20 July 2012

Original issue: 16 May 2012

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless already accomplished:

For helicopters equipped with T/R blades P/N 3G6410A00131 or P/N 

4G6410A00131:

(1) Within 25 Flight Hours (FH) after 25 August 2011 [the effective date of 

EASA AD 2011-0156-E], and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 25 

FH, inspect the T/R blades in accordance with the instructions of Part I of 

AgustaWestland Alert Bollettino Tecnico (BT) 139-265.

(2) From 25 August 2011 [the effective date of EASA AD 2011-0156-E], for 

T/R blades that had not yet accumulated 600 FH or 1 500 flight cycles 

(FC), whichever occurs first since first installation on a helicopter, prior to 

or upon accumulation of 600 FH or 1 500 FC by the blade, whichever 

occurs first, replace each T/R blade with a serviceable unit.

For helicopters equipped with T/R blades P/N 3G6410A00132 or P/N

4G6410A00132:

(3) Within 25 FH after 02 March 2012 [the effective date of EASA AD 2012-

0030], and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 25 FH, inspect the T/R 

blades in accordance with the instructions of Part I of AgustaWestland

BT 139-285.

(4) From 02 March 2012 [the effective date of EASA AD 2012-0030], for T/R 

blades that have not yet accumulated 1 200 FH or 3 200 FC, whichever 

occurs first since first installation on a helicopter, prior to or upon 

accumulation of 1 200 FH or 3 200 FC by the blade, whichever occurs 

first, replace each T/R blade with a serviceable unit.

For helicopters equipped with T/R blades P/N 3G6410A00133 or P/N

4G6410A00133:

(5) Within 25 FH after 16 May 2012 [the effective date of EASA AD 2012-

0076 at original issue], and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 25 FH, 

inspect the T/R blades in accordance with the instructions of Part I of 

AgustaWestland BT 139-286.

(6) From 16 May 2012 [the effective date of EASA AD 2012-0076 at original 

issue], for T/R blades that have not yet accumulated 10 000 FC since 

first installation on a helicopter or 3 years since removal from the sealed 

wrap, whichever occurs first, prior to or upon accumulation of 10 000 FC 
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by the blade or 3 years since removal from the sealed wrap (calendar 

time limit has to be counted from the date the blade sealed wrap is 

opened for the first time), replace each T/R blade with a serviceable unit.

Requirements valid for all T/R blade P/Ns:

(7) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1) or (3) or (5), any 

discrepancy is detected, before next flight, contact AgustaWestland for 

corrective actions and accomplish those actions within the specified 

compliance time.

(8) For any T/R blade where the FC, accumulated since first installation on a 

helicopter, cannot be determined, the FH accumulated by the T/R blade 

since first installation on a helicopter must be multiplied by a factor of 4 

(four), as described in AgustaWestland Alert BT 139-265, BT 139-285

and BT 139-286, to determine the replacement time for that blade, as 

required by paragraph (2) or (4) or (6) of this AD, as applicable.

Note: For the purpose of this AD, a serviceable T/R blade is a T/R blade P/N 

3G6410A00131 or P/N 4G6410A00131 that has not yet accumulated 600 FH 

or 1 500 FC since first installation on a helicopter, or a T/R blade P/N 

3G6410A00132 or P/N 4G6410A00132 that has not yet accumulated 1 200 FH 

or 3 200 FC since first installation on a helicopter, or a T/R blade P/N 

3G6410A00133 or P/N 4G6410A00133 that has not yet accumulated 10 000 

FC since first installation on a helicopter or 3 years since removal from the 

sealed wrap.

(9) From the effective date of this AD, do not install on any helicopter a T/R

blade unless the T/R blade is in compliance with the requirements of this 

AD.

(10) From the effective date of this AD, T/R blades of different P/Ns can be 

installed on the same helicopter. The eligible combinations of T/R blades

P/N are listed in AgustaWestland BT 139-265 Revision A, BT 139-285 

Revision A and BT 139-286 Revision A.

Ref. Publications: AgustaWestland Alert BT 139-265, original issue dated 25 August 2011 or 

Revision A dated 12 July 2012.

AgustaWestland BT 139-285, original issue dated 11 February 2012 or 

Revision A dated 12 July 2012.

AgustaWestland BT139-286, original issue dated 13 April 2012 or Revision A

dated 12 July 2012.

The use of later approved revisions of these documents 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. The required action and the risk allowance have granted the issuance of a 

Final AD with Request for Comments, postponing the public consultation 

process after publication.

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 AgustaWestland

E-mail: aw139.mbx@agustawestland.com .