AW139 Tail Boom Subject of AD

FAA has issued an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) in reaction to an EASA mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) alert regarding the tail boom of the AgustaWestland AW139. According to EASA, the tail boom of an AW139 bent and collapsed while taxiing. In addition, the agency has discovered “evidence of debonding on some tail boom panels,” on the AW139 and AB139. FAA is mandating more frequent inspections of the tail panels and measures designed to uncover potentially unsafe conditions.
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