SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN
Aircraft Certification Service
Washington, DC
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
NM-19-17

December 5, 2019

This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin advises registered owners and operators of Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. (Embraer) Model EMB-135BJ, -135ER, -135KE, -135KL, and -135LR airplanes, and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145-MR, -145-LR, -145-XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes, of discrepancies found on electrical wiring terminations at the receptacles of certain pitot relays.

Based on an assessment utilizing the data currently available at this time, the airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39. The FAA will continue to monitor this issue.

Background

FAA AD 2007-04-03, 39-14934 (ANAC AD 2005-08-04R1), and FAA AD 2008-22-19, 39-15716 (ANAC AD 2007-11-04R1), were issued to require inspecting the pitot heating relays and the direct-vision windowsill drain hoses, and to replace certain socket contacts with new, improved parts. AD 2007-04-03 also requires re-routing and replacing the direct-vision windowsill drain hoses in the area near the relay boxes with new, improved hoses.

After issuance of those ADs, the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), which is the aviation authority for Brazil, issued Brazilian Special Airworthiness Bulletin (BEA) 2017-03, dated December 20, 2017, to address degradation (heat damage and discoloration), insulation dryness, and cracking of electrical wiring terminations at the receptacles of the Pitot #1, Pitot #2, Pitot #3, TAT #1 and TAT #2 relays. Since BEA 2017-03 was issued, several cases of inadequate installation, chafing, and heat damage on the wiring terminations at the receptacle of the Pitot #3 relay have been found.

In light of this data, ANAC issued BEA 2019-02, dated April 25, 2019, to inform operators of a new maintenance task and of discrepancies found on the electrical wiring terminations at the receptacles of the Pitot #1, Pitot #2, Pitot #3, TAT #1 and TAT #2 relays. ANAC also issued BEA 2019-04 R1, dated October 14, 2019, to provide that information for EMB-135BJ airplanes.

Recommendations

The FAA recommends that all owners and operators of the Embraer airplanes identified above incorporate the normal maintenance actions outlined in the following service information, at the earliest opportunity:
 These tasks provide normal maintenance procedures for inspecting electrical wiring terminations at the receptacles of the Pitot #1, Pitot #2, Pitot #3, TAT #1, and TAT #2 relays for signs of damage, adequate installation, chafing, and general condition.

We request that owners and operators submit a Service Difficulties Report (SDR) to Embraer and the FAA (as identified below) if any discrepancy is found. Please use Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 3030. Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection contained in this SAIB, and assigned OMB Control Number 2120-0731.

For Further Information Contact

Kathleen Arrigotti, Aerospace Engineer, International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 206-231-3218; email: kathleen.arrigotti@faa.gov.

For Related Service Information Contact

Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. (Embraer), EFTC – Return to Service, Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 2170 - São Jose dos Campos - SP – 12227-901 Brasil; telephone +55 12 3927-5852 or +55 12 3309-0732; fax +55 12 3927-3333 (Structures) or +55 12 3927-7334 (Systems); email rts@embraer.com.br.