EASA AD No.: 2013-0221

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2013-0221

Date: 19 September 2013

Note: This Airworthiness Directive (AD) is issued by EASA, acting in accordance with Regulation 

(EC) No 216/2008 on behalf of the European Community, its Member States and of the 

European third countries that participate in the activities of EASA under Article 66 of that 

Regulation.

This AD is issued in accordance with EU 748/2012, Part 21.A.3B. In accordance with EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.301, the 

continuing airworthiness of an aircraft shall be ensured by accomplishing any applicable ADs. Consequently, no person may operate an 

aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that AD, unless otherwise specified by the Agency [EC 

2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.303] or agreed with the Authority of the State of Registry [EC 216/2008, Article 14(4) exemption].

Design Approval Holder’s Name:

AIRBUS

Type/Model designation(s):

A300-600 aeroplanes

TCDS Number: France No. 145

Foreign AD: Not applicable

Supersedure: This AD supersedes DGAC France AD 1995-086-180(B)R2 dated 15 May 1999.

ATA 57 Wings – Top Skin Centre Spar Joint between Ribs 1 and 7 –

Inspection / Repair

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie)

Applicability: Airbus A300-600 aeroplanes, all certified models, all manufacturer serial 

numbers, except those on which Airbus Modification (mod.) 10160 has been 

embodied in production.

Reason: During fatigue tests conducted in the early 1990’s, cracks were found on the 

top skin of the wing at the centre spar joint between ribs 1 and 7.

Consequently, Airbus developed production mod. 10089 and issued Service 

Bulletin (SB) A300-57-6041, involving installation of a reinforcing plate on the 

affected area. Despite this improvement, subsequent cases of cracks were

reported by operators.

This condition, if not detected and corrected, could adversely affect the 

structural integrity of the aeroplane.

To address this potential unsafe condition, Airbus issued SB A300-57-6044 and 

DGAC France issued AD 95-086-180 (later revised twice) to require repetitive 

inspections of the affected area and, depending on findings, accomplishment of 

applicable corrective action(s).

Since AD 1995-086-180(B)R2 was issued, a fleet survey and updated Fatigue 

and Damage Tolerance Analyses were performed in order to substantiate the 

second A300-600 Extended Service Goal (ESG2) exercise. The results of 

these analyses have shown that the inspection thresholds and intervals must 

be reduced to allow timely detection of these cracks and accomplishment of an 

applicable corrective action.
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Prompted by these findings, Airbus issued SB A300-57-6044 Revision 04.

For the reasons described above, this AD retains the requirements of DGAC 

France AD1995-086-180(B)R2, which is superseded, but requires the repetitive

inspections to be accomplished at reduced thresholds and intervals and, 

depending on findings, corrective actions.

Effective Date: 03 October 2013

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

Re-statement of DGAC France AD 1995-086-180(B)R2:

(1) Within 3 000 flight cycles after 20 May 1995 [the effective date of the 

original issue of DGAC France AD 95-086-180], or within the threshold 

defined in Airbus SB A300-57-6044 Revision 02, whichever occurs later,

and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed those defined in Airbus SB 

A300-57-6044 Revision 02, inspect the top wing skin at the level of the 

centre spar in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-6044 

Revision 02.

New Requirements of this AD:

(2) After the effective date of this AD, within the compliance times (thresholds 

and intervals, flight hours or flight cycles, whichever occurs first) defined in 

Table 1, Table 2 and Table 3 of Airbus SB A300-57-6044 Revision 04, as 

applicable to aeroplane configuration and aeroplane utilisation, accomplish 

repetitive Detailed Inspections, or High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) 

inspections, and/or Low Frequency Eddy Current (LFEC) inspections, as 

applicable, on the wing top skin centre spar joint between ribs 1 and 7 in 

accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-6044 Revision 04.

(3) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of 

this AD, cracks are detected, before next flight, accomplish the applicable 

corrective actions in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A300-57-6044 Revision 04.

(4) Inspections and corrective actions, accomplished before the effective date 

of this AD in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-6044

at original issue up to Revision 03, are acceptable to comply with the initial 

requirements of this AD. After the effective date of this AD, repetitive 

inspections and, depending on findings, corrective actions must be 

accomplished in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A300-57-6044 at Revision 04. After the first inspection as required by 

paragraph (2) of this AD, the inspections of paragraph (1) of this AD are no 

longer required.

(5) Corrective actions, as required by paragraph (3) of this AD, do not

constitute terminating action for the repetitive inspection requirements of 

paragraph (2) of this AD.

Ref. Publications: Airbus SB A300-57-6044 original issue dated 01 March 1993, or Revision 01 

dated 25 November 1994, or Revision 02 dated 06 September 1995, or 

Revision 03 dated 07 April 1999, or Revision 04 dated 19 August 2011.

The use of later approved revisions of this document is acceptable for 

compliance with the requirements of this AD.

Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve 

Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD.

2. This AD was posted on 08 August 2013 as PAD 13-116 for consultation 

until 05 September 2013. No comments were received during the 

consultation period.
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3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the Safety Information 

Section, Executive Directorate, EASA. E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu.

4. For any question concerning the technical content of the requirements in 

this AD, please contact:

AIRBUS SAS - EIAWA (Airworthiness Office) 

E-mail: continued.airworthiness-wb.external@airbus.com.