Airworthiness Directives; Aerospatiale Model ATR42-200, -300, and -320 Series Airplanes

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Aerospatiale Model ATR42-200, -300, and -320 series airplanes, that requires modification of the wiring in the elevator controls and the pitch trim dissymmetry monitoring equipment. This amendment is prompted by a report of loss of a propeller and engine gearbox, which resulted in damage to the fuselage. There has also been a report that a modification was implemented in the elevator control cables during manufacture, which reduced the maximum physical separation between the elevator controls and the monitoring equipment. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent reduced controllability of the airplane in the event that debris from an engine burst or propeller failure were to strike the fuselage and sever the elevator flight controls.