Airworthiness Directive 03-9431
one-timeAirworthiness Directives; Aerospatiale Model ATR42-500 Series Airplanes, and Model ATR72-102, -202, -212, and -212A Series Airplanes
What this AD requires
This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Aerospatiale Model ATR42-500 series airplanes, and Model ATR72-102, -202, -212, and -212A series airplanes, that requires replacement of insulation blankets constructed of metallized polyethyleneteraphthalate (MPET) located from sections 11 through 16 of the fuselage with new insulation blankets constructed of Terul 18<SUP>TM</SUP>. This amendment is prompted by reports of in-flight and ground fires on certain airplanes manufactured with insulation blankets constructed of MPET, which may contribute to the spread of a fire when ignition occurs from small ignition sources such as electrical arcing or sparking. The actions specified by this AD are intended to ensure that insulation blankets constructed of MPET are removed from the fuselage. Such insulation blankets could propagate a small fire that is the result of an otherwise harmless electrical arc and could lead to a much larger fire. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.
Which aircraft AD 03-9431 applies to
Whether AD 03-9431 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.
How AD compliance is recorded
A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:
Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.
Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.