Is AD 2013-16-21 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

Yes — AD 2013-16-21 requires a repetitive inspection every 200 hours. Next-due depends on the aircraft's time in service.

Which aircraft does AD 2013-16-21 apply to?

AD 2013-16-21 applies to Agusta — models 109E, 109. Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

Airworthiness Directive 2013-16-21

recurring

Official AD 2013-16-21 · FR doc 2013-23017 · 2013-09-25 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. (Type Certificate Currently Held by Agusta Westland S.p.A) (Agusta) Helicopters

What this AD requires

We are superseding an airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta Model A109E helicopters that required reducing the tail rotor (T/R) blade life limit, modifying a T/R hub and grip assembly, re-identifying two T/R assemblies, clarifying the never-exceed speed (Vne) limitation, and reducing the inspection interval. Since we issued that AD, the manufacturer has redesigned a T/R grip bushing (bushing) that reduces the loads, which caused the T/R cracking, on the T/R blades. This action requires installing the new bushing and re-identifying the T/R hub-and-grip and hub-and-blade assemblies and requires a recurring inspection of each bushing. These actions are intended to prevent fatigue failure of a T/R blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect every 200 hours. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 2013-16-21 applies to

MakesAgusta

Models109E, 109

Part-conditional — 109-8131-02-151, 109-8131-02-157.

Applies only to helicopters with tail rotor (T/R) hub and blade assembly P/N 109-8131-02-151 and P/N 109-8131-02-157 installed.

Whether AD 2013-16-21 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:

Method of compliance — The specific action taken (inspected, replaced, modified) and to what revision.

Date — When the work was done.

Aircraft time — Total time in service / tach at compliance — how recurring next-due is computed.

Signature & certificate — The A&P/IA who returned it to service, with certificate number.

Is AD 2013-16-21 complied with on your aircraft?

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.