EASA AD No.: 2013-0181R1

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2013-0181R1

Date: 20 August 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 and A300-600 aeroplanes

TCDS Number: France TCDS No. 145

Foreign AD: Not applicable

Revision: This AD revises EASA AD 2013-0181 dated 09 August 2013, which superseded 

DGAC France AD 1998-449-265(B)R1 dated 18 November 1998.

ATA 57 Wings – Outer Shroud Box Hinge Bracket – Inspection /

Modification

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie)

Applicability: Airbus A300B2-1C, A300B2-203, A300B2K-3C, A300B4-103, A300B4-120,

A300B4-203, A300B4-2C, A300C4-203, and A300F4-203 aeroplanes, and

A300B4-601, A300B4-603, A300B4-605R, A300B4-620, A300B4-622 and 

A300C4-620 aeroplanes, 

all manufacturer serial numbers, except aeroplanes that have received 

AIRBUS modification (mod.) No. 6661 in production.

Reason: In the past, aft hinge brackets of the outer wing box were found cracked.

Fracture of a bracket would allow vertical movement of the inner shroud box 

structure, which could result in damage to the top skin of the inboard flap. In 

addition, the loads carried by the brackets will be transferred to the remaining 

supports, which may also crack and cause extensive structural damage.

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

integrity of the aeroplane.

To address this potential unsafe condition, DGAC France issued AD

1998-449-265(B) (later revised) to require repetitive inspections of the hinge 

bracket of the outer box and, depending on findings, corrective action(s).

Since that AD was issued, a fleet survey and updated Fatigue and Damage 

Tolerance analysis were performed in order to substantiate the A300

Extended Service Goal (ESG) and A300-600 Extended Service Goal (ESG2) 

exercise. 
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The results of these analyses led to a change in the inspection thresholds

and intervals in Flight Cycles (FC) and the introduction of Flight Hours (FH) 

limits.

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

France AD 1998-449-265(B)R1, which is superseded, but requires those 

actions within the new thresholds and intervals given by Airbus Service 

Bulletin (SB) A300-57-0142 Revision 04 or A300-57-6010 Revision 05, as 

applicable to aeroplane model.

Revision 1 of this AD is issued to add model A300B4-203 aeroplanes to the 

applicability and compliance time tables. This model is covered by Airbus SB 

A300-57-0142, but was mistakenly omitted from the original AD issue.

Effective Date: Revision 1: 03 September 2013

Original issue: 23 August 2013

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless previously accomplished:

(1) Within the compliance time indicated in Table 1 of this AD, as applicable 

to aeroplane model, accomplish a detail visual inspection (DVI) of the 

forward and aft outer shroud box hinge brackets in accordance with the 

instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-0142 Revision 04, or SB A300-57-

6010 Revision 05, as applicable to aeroplane model.

Table 1: Inspection Thresholds

Aeroplanes

Compliance time,

whichever occurs first 

since aeroplane first flight

A300B4-601, A300B4-603, 

A300B4-605R, A300B4-620, 

A300B4-622 and A300C4-620 5 000 FC or 10 400 FH

A300B4-2C, A300B4-203,

A300C4-203, and A300F4-203

A300B2-1C, A300B2-203 and 

A300B2K-3C 5 000 FC or 5 400 FH

A300B4-103 and A300B4-120 5 000 FC or 6 600 FH

(2) Thereafter, at intervals not to exceed the value as indicated in Table 2 of 

this AD, as applicable to aeroplane model, repeat the inspection in 

accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-0142 Revision 04 

or SB A300-57-6010 Revision 05, as applicable to aeroplane model, or 

accomplish the replacement of the hinge bracket in accordance with the 

instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-0143 Revision 02 or SB A300-57-6011 

Revision 02, as applicable to aeroplane model.

Table 2: Inspection Intervals

Aeroplanes Compliance time, 

whichever occurs first

A300B4-601, A300B4-603, 

A300B4-605R, A300B4-620, 

A300B4-622 and A300C4-620 1 000 FC or 2 000 FH

A300B4-2C, A300B4-203, 

A300C4-203 and A300F4-203

A300B2-1C, A300B2-203 and 

A300B2K-3C 1 000 FC or 1 000 FH

A300B4-103 and A300B4-120 1 000 FC or 1 300 FH
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(3) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1) or (2) of this AD, a 

crack less than 8 mm in length is found in one half bracket, at intervals 

not to exceed the value as indicated in Table 3 of this AD, as applicable 

to aeroplane model, repeat the inspection in accordance with the 

instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-0142 Revision 04, or SB A300-57-

6010 Revision 05, as applicable to aeroplane model, or replace the 

damaged hinge bracket in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A300-57-0143 Revision 02, or SB A300-57-6011 Revision 02, as 

applicable to aeroplane model.

Table 3 : Reduced Inspection Intervals

after crack (< 8 mm) detection

Aeroplanes Compliance time, 

whichever occurs first

A300B4-601, A300B4-603, 

A300B4-605R, A300B4-620, 

A300B4-622 and A300C4-620 50 FC or 100 FH

A300B4-2C, A300B4-203, 

A300C4-203 and A300F4-203

A300B2-1C, A300B2-203 and 

A300B2K-3C 50 FC or 50 FH

A300B4-103 and A300B4-120 50 FC or 65 FH

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

AD, a crack of 8 mm in length or more is found, or both half brackets are 

cracked, or a hinge bracket is found fractured, before next flight, replace 

the damaged hinge bracket in accordance with the instructions of Airbus 

SB A300-57-0143 Revision 02, or SB A300-57-6011 Revision 02, as 

applicable to aeroplane model.

(5) Inspections, accomplished before the effective date of this AD in 

accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-0142 at original 

issue up to Revision 03, or SB A300-57-6010 at Revision 01 up to 

Revision 04, are acceptable to comply with the requirements of 

paragraph (1) and (2) of this AD (initial and repetitive inspection). 

(6) Modification of an aeroplane in accordance with the instructions of Airbus 

SB A300-57-0143 Revision 02, or SB A300-57-6011 Revision 02, as 

applicable to aeroplane model, constitutes terminating action for the 

initial and repetitive inspections required by paragraph (1), (2) and (3) of 

this AD.

(7) Modification of an aeroplane, accomplished before 28 November 1998 

(the effective date of DGAC France AD 1998-449-265(B) at original 

issue) in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-0143 at 

original issue or Revision 01, or SB A300-57-6011 at original issue or 

Revision 01, as applicable to aeroplane model, constitutes terminating 

action for the repetitive inspections required by paragraph (2) and (3) of 

this AD, provided that, after modification of the aeroplane but before 

next flight after the effective date of this AD, the aeroplane has 

successfully passed a one-time DVI of the forward and aft outer shroud 

box hinge brackets as required by paragraph (1) of this AD.

Ref. Publications: Airbus SB A300-57-0142 original issue dated 17 December 1986, Revision 

01 dated 09 April 1990, Revision 02 dated 16 January 1991, Revision 03 

dated 22 February 1999, or Revision 04 dated 30 March 2011.

Airbus SB A300-57-0143 original issue dated 17 December 1986, Revision 

01 dated 19 March 1987, or Revision 02 dated 10 July 1989.
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Airbus SB A300-57-6010 Revision 01 dated 14 December 1990, Revision 02 

dated 30 March 1998, Revision 03 dated 16 September 1998, Revision 04 

dated 22 February 1999, or Revision 05 dated 21 February 2011.

Airbus SB A300-57-6011 original issue dated 17 December 1986, Revision 

01 dated 19 March 1987, or Revision 02 dated 10 July 1989.

The use of later approved revisions of these documents 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. The original issue of this AD was posted on 07 March 2013 as PAD 

13-043 for consultation until 04 April 2013. The Comment Response 

Document can be found at http://ad.easa.europa.eu.

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 – EIAW (Airworthiness Office)

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