EASA AD 2021-0273
Landing Gear — Main Landing Gear Torque Arm Centre Pin — Replacement
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2021-0273 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency affecting SAAB SF340A and SAAB 340B aeroplanes equipped with specific Main Landing Gear torque arm centre pins. The directive addresses the replacement of torque arm centre pins with part number AIR134762 from certain batches that may lack required stress relief and de-embrittlement treatments. This AD ensures continued safe operation by mandating the replacement of these pins to prevent potential landing gear failure.
What Changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2021-0273 introduces a new mandatory requirement to replace affected torque arm centre pins installed on the main landing gear of SAAB SF340A and 340B aircraft. It prohibits installation of any main landing gear with affected pins from the effective date and requires replacement within six months for aircraft currently equipped with these pins. This AD is a new regulation addressing a previously unmitigated unsafe condition related to mechanical degradation of the pins.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because failure of the torque arm centre pin could lead to free swinging of the main landing gear, resulting in loss of ground control or hydraulic braking function. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to maintain aircraft airworthiness and safety. Compliance teams need to track affected serial numbers and batch numbers to avoid installation of unsafe parts and prevent operational disruptions.
What To Do
Operators of SAAB SF340A and SAAB 340B aeroplanes with affected torque arm centre pins must replace these pins with serviceable ones within six months of 22 December 2021. From the effective date, no main landing gear with affected pins may be installed on any aircraft. Maintenance personnel should follow SAAB Service Bulletin 340-32-147 for replacement instructions and verify pin batch numbers against those listed in the service bulletin attachments.
AI-generated summary from official EASA source document. Always verify against the original.