EASA AD No.: 2015-0158

TE.CAP.00110-004 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1/2

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2015-0158

Date: 30 July 2015

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 EU 1321/2014 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 

[EU 1321/2014 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 :

GE Aviation Systems Ltd, trading as

DOWTY PROPELLERS

Type/Model designation(s) :

R352 and R410 propellers

TCDS Number: United Kingdom (UK) TC No. 105 & 110

Foreign AD: Not applicable

Supersedure: None

ATA 61 Propellers – Rear Half Hub Dowel Holes – Inspection / Replacement

Manufacturer(s): GE Aviation Systems Ltd, trading as Dowty Propellers (formerly Dowty Rotol 

Ltd, Dowty Aerospace Propellers, Dowty Aerospace Gloucester or Dowty 

Propellers)

Applicability: Model R352/6-123-F/1, R352/6-123-F/2 and R410/6-123-F35 propellers, all 

serial numbers.

These propellers are known to be installed on, but not limited to, Fokker F27 

Mk 050, F27 Mk 0502 and F27 Mk 0604 aeroplanes.

Reason: Cracking around the hub location dowel holes in the face of the rear hub half 

has occurred sporadically. Previous investigations found no manufacturing 

defects in cracked hubs and concluded that the hub cracking was caused by 

damage to the dowel holes during propeller installation.

Nonetheless, Dowty Propellers issued Service Bulletin (SB) F50-61-165 at 

original issue to recommend the installation of liners in the hub location dowel 

holes, in the face of the rear hub half, to reduce the risk of cracks and to extend 

the serviceable life of the hub assembly.

Since that original SB was issued, three hubs have been found to show cracking 

around the location dowel holes. The hubs were all found cracked within a short 

period of time and all had low time since new. 

This condition, if not detected, can adversely affect the structural integrity of the 

propeller hub, with possible damage to the propeller and to the aeroplane.

Prompted by these findings, SB F50-61-165 was revised and re-issued as an 

Alert Service Bulletin (ASB).
EASA AD No.: 2015-0158

TE.CAP.00110-004 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2/2

Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA-Internet/Intranet.

For the reason described above, this AD requires identification and inspection of 

potentially affected propeller hubs, and, depending on findings, accomplishment 

of applicable corrective action(s).

Effective Date: 13 August 2015

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

(1) During the next removal of the propeller from the aeroplane, or within 7 500 

flight hours, whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD, inspect 

the propeller to determine whether the hub Part Number (P/N) is listed in 

Table 1 of this AD, and if so, whether it has been repaired in accordance 

with Dowty Propellers Component Maintenance Manual (CMM) 61-10-34, 

Repair No. 53.

A review of the propeller maintenance records is acceptable in lieu of the 

inspection, provided that the propeller configuration can be conclusively 

determined from that review.

Table 1 – Affected Hub Part Numbers

660715201 660720217 660720252 660720288

660715255 660720241 660720260

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

having a P/N listed in Table 1 of this AD, is found not repaired in accordance 

with CMM 61-10-34, Repair No. 53, before next flight, install liners into the 

hub location dowel holes and re-identify the hub P/N in accordance with the 

instructions of Dowty Propellers ASB F50-61-A165 Revision 1.

(3) If, during the inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, the hub, 

having a P/N listed in Table 1 of this AD, is found repaired in accordance 

with CMM 61-10-34, Repair No. 53, before next flight, re-identify the hub in 

accordance with the instructions of Dowty Propellers ASB F50-61-A165

Revision 1.

(4) Inspection, modification (as applicable) and hub re-identification of a 

propeller, accomplished before the effective date of this AD in accordance 

with the instructions of Dowty Propellers SB F50-61-165 at original issue, is 

acceptable to comply with the requirements of this AD for that propeller.

Note: Repair No. 53 in CMM 61-10-34 relates to repair scheme 650510057 that 

is an acceptable means of demonstrating compliance with this AD.

Ref. Publications: Dowty Propellers SB F50-61-165 initial issue dated 19 November 2012, or ASB 

F50-61-A165 Revision 1 dated 12 May 2015.

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 19 June 2015 as PAD 15-085 for consultation until 

17 July 2015. 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, Certification Directorate, EASA. E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu.

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

this PAD, please contact: Dowty Propeller’s, Bishops Cleeve, Evesham 

Road, Cheltenham, GL52 8SF, United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0) 1452 716097, Fax: +44 (0) 1452 716001

E-mail technicalsupport@dowty.com