Ad/BAe 146/42 Amdt 1 - Wing Centre Section Top Skin (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/BAe 146/42 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes

AD/BAe 146/42 Amdt 1 Wing Centre Section Top Skin 11/2008 DM

Applicability:

All model BAe 146 and AVRO 146-RJ aircraft except aircraft for which the instructions contained in the applicable BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd Supplemental Structural Inspection Document (SSID) have been incorporated into the approved aircraft maintenance programme.

Requirement:

Action in accordance with the technical requirements of EASA AD 2008-0168.

Note:  BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Inspection Service Bulletin ISB.57-070, or later approved revision, refers.

Compliance:

As specified in the requirement document.

This Amendment becomes effective on 16 September 2008.

Background:

In 1991, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued AD 015-08-91, requiring the accomplishment of inspections of, and in case of crack findings, corrective actions on, the wing top skin at rib ‘0’ of pre-modification HCM00851C BAe 146 series aircraft in accordance with British Aerospace Service Bulletin (SB) 57-41 dated 26 July 1991.

Amendment 1 is issued due to a revised inspection programme for the wing top skin and joint strap at rib ‘0’ designed to assure the continued structural integrity of this area.  Cracking of the wing centre section top skin, if undetected, could lead to structural failure and consequent loss of the aircraft.  This directive requires repetitive high-frequency eddy current (HFEC), radiographic, ultrasonic, and detailed visual inspections of the wing top skin and joint strap at rib ‘0’, the reporting of all inspection results to BAE Systems and, in case of findings, the accomplishment of corrective actions.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

3 September 2008