FAA proposal to expand horizontal stabilizer inspections on certain ATR airplanes
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This proposed rule would expand required safety inspections on certain ATR42-500 and ATR72-212A airplanes. Operators would need to keep doing the inspections required under the earlier 2023 directive and also inspect additional horizontal stabilizer areas, including the front spar web and the internal center box area. The proposal targets loose, missing, or wrongly installed fasteners, composite delamination, and cracks that could weaken the airplane structure. The FAA estimates 16 U.S.-registered airplanes would be affected, with new inspection work costing about $1,190 per aircraft, not including any repairs. Comments are due by June 18, 2026.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Replaces the 2023 airworthiness directive for affected ATR42-500 and ATR72-212A airplanes while keeping its existing inspection requirements.
- Adds more affected aircraft serial numbers based on updated ATR service bulletins.
- Requires new one-time inspections of the horizontal stabilizer front spar web and internal center box area, with approved repairs if problems are found.
Obligations
What this law requires
If the AD is adopted as proposed, operators of affected ATR Model ATR42-500 and ATR72-212A airplanes must comply with all required actions and compliance times in EASA AD 2025-0110, dated May 14, 2025, except as modified by the FAA AD.
If the AD is adopted as proposed, operators must perform a one-time detailed inspection of the horizontal stabilizer left-hand and right-hand leading edge lateral ribs, the box in between, the center box upper panel, the horizontal stabilizer forward back-up fitting, the horizontal stabilizer front spar web, and the center box internal area for loose, missing, or incorrectly installed fasteners, composite delamination, and cracked fittings.
If the AD is adopted as proposed and any discrepancy other than cracking is detected during a required inspection, the operator must, before the next flight, contact ATR for approved repair instructions and accomplish those instructions within the compliance time identified in the instructions; if no compliance time is identified, the repair instructions must be accomplished before the next flight.
If the AD is adopted as proposed and any crack is detected, the operator must repair the crack before further flight using a method approved by the FAA Manager, International Validation Branch; EASA; or ATR's EASA Design Organization Approval, with a DOA-authorized signature if DOA-approved.
If the AD is adopted as proposed, operators that need manufacturer instructions to satisfy an AD requirement must accomplish those instructions using a method approved by the FAA Manager, International Validation Branch; EASA; or ATR's EASA Design Organization Approval, with a DOA-authorized signature if approved by the DOA.