EASA AD No.: 2013

- 0 124

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. 

## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No

. : 2013

- 0 124

Date: 05 June 2013

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 E U 748/2012 , Part 21

. A.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 ope rate 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].



### Design Approval Holder’s Name:

AGUSTAWESTLAND S.p. A. 

### Type/Model designation(s):

AB139 and AW139 helicopters

TCDS Number: EASA.R.006

F oreign AD: Not applicable

Supersedure: This AD supersedes EASA AD 2013

- 0090 dated 11 April 2013.



### ATA 30 Ice and Rain Protection

– Full Icing Protection System / Cable Inspection

– Tail Rotor Distributor Replacement

Manufacturer(s): AgustaWestland S .p.A. (formerly Agusta S.p.A.) and AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation (formerly Agusta Aerospace Corporation)

Applicability: AB139 and AW139 helicopters

, with serial numbers ( S/N ) 31201 to S/N 31421 inclusive and from S/N 41201 to S/N 41277 inclusive.

Reason: An event of arcing inside some components of the Full Ice Protection System (FIPS) has been reported. The results of the subsequent technical investigation indicated that imp roper insulation of one of the main rotor electrical cables w as the likely cause for this arcing

. This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to other events of arcing , possibly resulting in fire and consequent damage to the helicopter and injury to occupants

. To address this potential unsafe condition

, Agusta Westland published Bollettino Tecnico ( BT ) 139

- 324 , providing instructions for inspection of helicopters equipped with the FIPS and EASA issued AD 2013

- 0090 to require a o n e

- time inspection of the main and tail rotor electrical cables and

, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective actions

. Since that AD was issu ed

, the result s of additional investigations prompted AgustaWestland to revise BT 139

- 324 to introduce more refined insulation limits and to remove the inspection of tail rotor (TR) cables. In addition, AgustaWestland issued BT 139

- 330 that includes instructions to replace the Tail Rotor Distributor (TRD) with an improved part that has increased dielectric strength.
For the reasons described above, this AD, which supersedes EASA ADEASA AD No.: 2013

- 0 124

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. 2013

- 009 0 partially retaining its requirements, additionally requires installation of the improved TRD. This AD no longer requires inspecting the ca bles of the TR slip ring P/N 4G6420V00151 or P/N 4G6420V00152. In addition, as an alternative to the inspection, this AD gives possibility for a FIPS de

- activation, in accordance with applicable helicopter Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL ), and re

- activation.

This AD is still considered an interim action and further AD action may follow

.

Effective Date: 19 June 2013

Required A ction(s) and Compliance Time(s) : Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: (1) For helicopters equipped with the FIPS : Within 30 flight hours or 7 days

, whichever occur s first after 25 April 2013 [the effective date of EASA AD 2013

- 0090]

, acc omplish an inspection and an insulation test of M ain R otor (MR) electrical cables Part Number ( P/N ) 3G9F12A01011

, P/N 3G9F12A01012 (pre BT 139

- 259) or P/N 3G9F12A01311 (post BT 139

- 259)

, in accordance with the i nstructions of AgustaWestland BT 139

- 324

. (2) If

, during the actions as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, any discrepancy is detected, before next flight, accomplish the applicable corrective actions in accordance with the i nstructions of AgustaWestland BT 139

- 324

. (3) From 25 April 2013 [ the effective date of EASA AD 2013

- 0090] , f or helicopters equipped with FIPS, installation of any part as indicated in paragraph (1) is allowed, provided it is new, or it has passed the inspection and the insulation test as required by paragraph (1) of this AD , as applicable. (4) As an alternative to the actions as required by para graphs (1) and (2) of this AD, it is allowed to de

- activate the FIPS and operate the helicopter in accordance with the provisions of the applicable helicopter MMEL. At any time after the FIPS has been de

- activated, FIPS re

- activation is possible, provided that, before next flight after FIPS re

- activation, the FIPS is inspected and tested as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, and, depending on findings, corrected as required by paragraph (2) of this AD.

Note 1 : A Partial Removal kit allows a temporary de

- installation of some FIPS components when the FIPS kit is not to be used , and their re

- installation when necessary

. (5) For helicopters equipped with FIPS, within the compliance times specified in Table 1 of this AD, as applicable, replace the TRD P/N 4G30 60V00452 with an improved part in accordance with the instructions of AgustaWestland BT 139

- 330

. Table 1

FIPS S tatus Compliance Time

Installed and activated (see paragraph (4) of this AD) 90 days after the effective date of this AD

Installed and d eactivated (see paragraph (4) of this AD) Concurrent with FIPS re

activation

Partially de

- installed (see Note 1 of this AD) Concurrent with FIPS re

installationEASA AD No.: 2013

- 0 124

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 3 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. Ref. Public ations: AgustaWestland BT 139

- 324 , Original issue dated 09 April 2013 or rev. A dated 04 June 2013

. AgustaWestland BT 139

- 330 dated 04 June 2013

. The use of later approved revisions of th ese docu m e nt s 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. Based on t he required actions and the compliance time, EASA have decided to issue a Final AD with Request for Comments, postponing the public consultation process until after publication.

3. Enquiries regarding this A D 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, pl ease contact AgustaWestland S.p.A. : E

- mail: aw139.mbx@agustawestland.com

.