EASA AD No : 2009-0070R1 

EASA Form 110 Page 1/3 

EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 

AD No.: 2009-0070R1 

Date: 02 July 2010 

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 

Revision: This AD revises EASA AD 2009-0070 dated 26 March 2009, which superseded 

United Kingdom (UK) CAA AD G-2005-0002 dated 12 January 2005, EASA 

approval number 2005-313. 

ATA 53 Fuselage – External Forward Fuselage – 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: 

During the period 2001/2002, skin cracking was found adjacent to the butt 

joint forward of frame 19 when unrelated in-service maintenance 

inspections of the forward fuselage structure were being completed. The 

cracks emanated from chemically-etched pockets on the internal surface 

of the skin. The then current MRB inspection requirements were not 

adequate to address cracking in multiple adjacent bays, which could 

compromise the structural integrity of the fuselage in the event that the 

multiple cracks joined into a single crack. Investigations resulted in the 

publication of BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Inspection Service 

Bulletin (ISB).53-167 in June 2003, which was made mandatory by CAA 

UK AD 007-06-2003. The ISB was subsequently re-issued at Revision 1 

during 2004 to clarify the inspection requirements and provide an 

improved inspection procedure. CAA UK AD G-2005-0002 (EASA 

approval number 2005-313) was issued to require accomplishment of the 

improved inspections. 

During 2008, a further report was received at BAE Systems of a 13.78 

inch crack in an AVRO 146-RJ that occurred 514 flight cycles (FC) short of 

the next 4 000-FC repetitive inspection interval. A reassessment of ISB 
EASA AD No : 2009-0070R1 

EASA Form 110 Page 2/3 

instructions and its supporting data concluded that these original 

inspection periods were too long, and the method for defining the areas 

requiring inspection could be open to misinterpretation. In response, BAE 

Systems has updated the ISB to Revision 2 to reduce the inspection 

intervals, introducing different inspection intervals associated with specific 

areas of the forward fuselage skins and instructions to inspect additional 

areas of the forward fuselage skin. 

For the reasons described above, this AD retains the requirements of CAA UK 

AD G-2005-0002, which is superseded, and requires the implementation of 

revised repetitive inspections, including inspection of additional areas of the 

forward fuselage skin panels for cracking and follow-on repair action(s), 

depending on findings. 

 This AD is revised to acknowledge the issuance of BAE Systems (Operations) 

Limited ISB.53-167 Revision 3, which allows the repetitive inspection intervals 

to be extended and introduces grace periods to carry out the initial 

inspections. In addition, this AD at Revision 1 acknowledges the issuance of 

BAE Systems ISB.53-167 Revision 4 which corrects the grace period for the 

initial inspections on BAe 146 aeroplane types. 

Effective Date: 

Revision 1: 16 July 2010 

Original issue: 09 April 2009 

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s): 

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: 

Restatement of AD G-2005-0002 requirements: 

For BAe 146 aeroplanes: 

(1) Within 4 000 FC or prior to accumulating 16 000 FC since new, whichever 

occurs later after 27 June 2003 [the effective date of CAA UK AD 

007-06-2003] and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 8 000 FC, 

accomplish an eddy current inspection of the forward fuselage skin in 

accordance with the instructions of BAE Systems (Operations) Limited 

ISB.53-167 (the ISB). 

For AVRO 146-RJ aeroplanes: 

(2) Within 2 000 FC or prior to accumulating 10 000 FC since new, whichever 

occurs later after 27 June 2003 [the effective date of CAA UK AD 

007-06-2003] and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 4 000 FC, 

accomplish an eddy current inspection of the forward fuselage skin in 

accordance with the instructions of the ISB. 

New requirements of this AD: 

(3) After the effective date of this AD, within the thresholds and thereafter 

within the intervals defined in Drawing 1 (for BAe 146) or Drawing 2 (for 

AVRO 146-RJ) of the ISB at Revision 4, as applicable to aeroplane 

model, accomplish the initial and repetitive inspections in accordance with 

the instructions of paragraph 2.B. of the ISB at Revision 4. 

(4) If defects are found during any inspection as required by this AD, before 

next flight, accomplish a repair in accordance with the instructions of 

paragraph 2.B.(4) of the ISB. Repair of an aeroplane in accordance with 

paragraph 2.B.(4) of the ISB does not constitute terminating action for the 

inspection requirements of this AD. 

(5) Inspections and corrective actions accomplished prior to the effective date 

of the original issue of this AD in accordance with BAE Systems 

(Operations) Limited ISB.53-167 at original issue or Revision 1 are 

acceptable to comply with the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) this 

AD. After the effective date of the original issue of this AD, initial and 

repetitive inspections and corrective actions as required by paragraph (3) 

of this AD must be accomplished in accordance with BAE Systems 

(Operations) Limited ISB.53-167 at Revision 2, Revision 3 or Revision 4. 
EASA AD No : 2009-0070R1 

EASA Form 110 Page 3/3 

(6) The ISB at Revision 4 includes grace periods for aeroplanes that have 

already exceeded the inspection threshold for the new skin areas or 

exceeded the reduced inspection interval. Aeroplanes are allowed a 

one-time period of 2 000 FC for BAe 146 or 1 000 FC for AVRO 146-RJ to 

exceed the new limit(s), in which to schedule the additional work. This 

information is defined in the ISB in separate logic diagrams for the two 

aeroplane variants. The starting point for the grace periods is the effective 

date of this revised AD and not the issue date of the ISB at Revision 2. 

Ref. Publications: 

BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Inspection Service Bulletin ISB.53-167 

Revision 2 dated 17 November 2008, Revision 3 dated 17 June 2009 and 

Revision 4 dated 10 June 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. The original issue of this AD was published on 09 February 2009 as PAD 

09-030 for consultation until 09 March 2009. The Comment Response 

Document can be found at http://ad.easa.europa.eu/. 

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 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.