AD NUMBER: PL2007-06-53
MANUFACTURER: Empresa
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive PL2007-06-53
SUMMARY: The FAA received a report that the aft cargo door of a Model ERJ 190 airplane opened in flight just after takeoff. The airplane returned to the departure airport and landed without incident.

We advised the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), which is the airworthiness authority for Brazil, of the report and worked closely with the ANAC to assess the safety implications of the report. The assessment of the event indicated that the door was not fully closed when the airplane took off.

Inspection of the airplane revealed that the door frame lateral roller fitting was cracked and the roller fitting cover plate was distorted. The roller fitting cover plate distortion caused a malfunction in the door position indication system.

A similar situation was found on the forward cargo door on a Model ERJ 170 airplane. In that instance, the problem was discovered by ground personnel, and the door was secured prior to takeoff. The cargo door design is the same for the Model ERJ 190 and ERJ 170 airplanes. Therefore, an unsafe condition may exist on all EMBRAER Model ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 airplanes.

We are issuing this AD to prevent a cargo door from opening during flight; which could lead to structural failure or loss of control.

FMI: www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/airworthiness_directives/