EASA AD No : 2011-0064

EASA Form 110 Page 1/2

EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2011-0064

Date: 07 April 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 :

Fokker Services B.V.

Type/Model designation(s) :

F27 Mark 050 aeroplanes

TCDS Number : EASA.A.036 

Foreign AD : Not applicable

Supersedure : None

ATA 53 Fuselage – Rear Fuselage Lap Joint – Inspection / Repair

Manufacturer(s): Fokker Aircraft B.V.

Applicability: F27 Mark 050 aeroplanes, serial numbers 20103 thru 20252, 20254 thru 

20267, 20270 thru 20279, 20281, 20283 thru 20286, 20288 thru 20317, 

20328, 20331, 20333 and 20335, except those that have already been 

modified in accordance with Fokker Services Service Bulletin (SB) SBF50-

53-062.

Reason: One operator reported a clearly visible crack in a fuselage lap joint, just 

forward of the ice protection plate in the forward fuselage. During a 

subsequent review of fatigue lives of lap joints in general, a critical location 

was found at a skin cut-out for a water service panel in the rear fuselage. 

Analysis by Fokker Services shows that at this specific location, due to the 

high local loads, cracks can occur from about 47 000 flight cycles (FC) in the 

inner skin. The outer skin will cover a crack in the inner skin and a crack will 

therefore not be visible.

This condition, if not detected and corrected, can result in an exponential 

crack growth rate, possibly leading to failure of the lap joint over a certain 

length and consequent in-flight decompression of the aeroplane.

For the reasons described above, this AD requires a one-time low-frequency 

eddy current inspection of the lap joint for cracks and, depending on findings, 

repair of the lap-joint. This AD also requires sending an inspection report 

(even when no cracks are found) to the TC holder to confirm the selected 

inspection threshold for aeroplanes that have not yet accumulated 45 000 

FC, as well as the inspection interval. The repetitive inspection task will be 

introduced in a future revision of the Fokker 50/60 Maintenance Review 

Board (MRB) Document.

Repair of the lap joint constitutes terminating action for the repetitive 
EASA AD No : 2011-0064

EASA Form 110 Page 2/2

inspections. In addition, the terminating action can also be applied before the 

initial inspection is required, thereby preventing the need for inspection 

altogether.

Effective Date: 21 April 2011

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously.

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

applicable, inspect the rear fuselage lap joint in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker Services SBF50-53-061.

Table 1

FC accumulated on the 

effective date of this AD:

Compliance time:

47 000 FC or more within 3 months after the 

effective date of this AD

more than 46 000 FC but less 

than 47 000 FC

within 6 months after the 

effective date of this AD

more than 45 000 FC but less 

than 46 000 FC

within 12 months after the 

effective date of this AD

(2) If, during the inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, cracks 

are found, before next flight, repair the lap joint in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker Services SB SBF50-53-062.

(3) Within 30 days after the inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this 

AD, submit the reporting form (even when no cracks are found) to 

Fokker Services, in accordance with the instructions of Figure 6 of 

Fokker Services SBF50-53-061.

(4) Modification of an aeroplane in accordance with the instructions of 

Fokker Services SBF50-53-062, provided this is accomplished within the 

inspection compliance time as specified in Table 1 of this AD, as 

applicable, eliminates the need to accomplish the inspection as required 

by paragraph (1) of this AD.

Ref. Publications: Fokker Services SBF50-53-061 dated 13 January 2011.

Fokker Services SBF50-53-062 dated 13 January 2011.

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. This AD was posted on 04 March 2011 as PAD 11-028 for consultation 

until 01 April 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.

4. For any question concerning the technical aspects of the requirements 

in this AD, please contact:

Fokker Services B.V., Technical Services Dept., P.O.Box 231,

2150 AE Nieuw-Vennep, The Netherlands;

telephone (31) 252-627-350; facsimile (31) 252-627-211;

e-mail: technicalservices.fokkerservices@fokker.com

The referenced publication can be downloaded from 

www.myfokkerfleet.com