Airworthiness Directives; ATR-GIE Avions de Transport Régional Airplanes
Key claim: The FAA is requiring operators of certain ATR42-500 and ATR72-212A airplanes to inspect more horizontal-stabilizer areas for damage and fix problems found, expanding an earlier safety directive to cover additional planes and parts.
Abstract
(Rule · Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration) The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-21- 10, which applied to certain ATR-GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42-500 and ATR72-212A airplanes. AD 2023-21-10 required an inspection of the horizontal stabilizer (HS) left- and right-hand leading edge lateral ribs, the box in between, the center box upper panel, and HS forward back-up fitting for discrepancies and applicable corrective action. Since the FAA issued AD 2023-21-10, it was determined that additional airplanes are affected and additional areas must be inspected. This AD continues to require the actions in AD 2023-21-10 and requires expanding the applicability and inspecting the HS front spar web and center box internal area for discrepancies and accomplishing applicable corrective actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Why this matters
Horizontal stabilizer damage on regional turboprops is a recurring airworthiness concern, and this expansion signals that initial inspection areas were insufficient to catch all affected structure. Operators of ATR42-500 and ATR72-212A fleets face additional maintenance burden, and the pattern of superseding ADs to widen inspection scope continues across multiple manufacturers.