AD 2021-09-13 Requires Revising The Existing Maintenance Or Inspection Program

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directives (AD) 2000-23-04 R1 and AD 2018-20-14, which applied to certain ATR-GIE Avions de Transport Régional Model ATR42-500 airplanes.

AD 2000-23-04 R1 and AD 2018-20-14 required revising the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new and/or more restrictive maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations; as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. This AD was prompted by the FAA's determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective June 23, 2021.

Supplementary Information: EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD 2020-0263, dated December 1, 2020 (EASA AD 2020-0263) (also referred to as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition for all Model ATR 42-400 and ATR 42-500 airplanes. Model ATR 42-400 airplanes are not certificated by the FAA and are not included on the U.S. type certificate data sheet; this AD therefore does not include those airplanes in the applicability. Airplanes with an original airworthiness certificate or original export certificate of airworthiness issued after July 7, 2020 must comply with the airworthiness limitations specified as part of the approved type design and referenced on the type certificate data sheet; this AD therefore does not include those airplanes in the applicability.

The FAA issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2000-23-04 R1, Amendment 39-12174 (66 FR 19381, April 16, 2001) (AD 2000-23-04 R1) and AD 2018-20-14, Amendment 39-19448 (83 FR 52123, October 16, 2018) (AD 2018-20-14). ADs 2000-23-04 R1 and 2018-20-14 applied to certain ATR-GIE Avions de Transport Régional Model ATR42-500 airplanes. The SNPRM published in the Federal Register on February 24, 2021 (86 FR 11169). The FAA preceded the SNPRM with a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2020 (85 FR 68503). The NPRM was prompted by the FAA's determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The NPRM proposed to require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. The SNPRM proposed to require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in EASA AD 2020-0263.

The FAA is issuing this AD to address reduced structural integrity of the airplane. See the MCAI for additional background information.

FMI: www.regulations.gov