EASA AD No.: 2013-0184R1

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2013-0184R1

Date: 22 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 No. 145

Foreign AD: Non applicable

Supersedure: This AD supersedes DGAC France AD F-2002-184 dated 03 April 2002.

ATA 53 Fuselage – Frame 47 Splice Fitting Holes Between Stringers 24 

and 26 – Inspection

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie)

Applicability: Airbus A300B4-103, A300B4-120, A300B4-203, A300B4-2C, A300C4-203 and 

A300F4-203 all Manufacturer Serial Numbers (MSN) and 

Airbus A300-600, all certified models, all MSN. 

Reason: In order to prevent crack development in the fastener holes at Frame (FR) 47 

splicing joint on A300 aeroplanes, Airbus developed modification (Mod) 5890

for aeroplanes in production and issued corresponding Service Bulletin (SB) 

A300-53-0199 for aeroplanes in service.

Subsequently, cracks were found on FR47 splice fitting between stringers 

(STRG) 24 and 26 on A300 aeroplanes previously modified by SB 

A300-53-0199.

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

integrity of the aeroplane.

To address this potential unsafe condition, DGAC France issued AD 2002-

184, superseding AD 85-152-069 and AD 1999-515-298, to require repetitive 

High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) rotating probe inspections of the splice

fitting between STRG 24 and 26 and, depending on findings, corrective

action(s). DGAC France AD 2002-184(B) expanded the applicability to 

A300-600 aeroplanes, which have the same design.

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

Tolerance analyses have been performed in order to substantiate the second 

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

analyses have determined that the inspection threshold and intervals for 
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A300-600 aeroplanes must be reduced to allow timely detection of these 

cracks and the accomplishment of an applicable corrective action.

For the reasons described above, AD 2013-0184 retains the requirements 

of DGAC France AD 2002-184, which is superseded, but requires 

accomplishment of the actions for A300-600 aeroplanes within the new 

thresholds and intervals introduced with Revision 05 of Airbus 

SB A300-53-6123.

This AD was revised to correct the splices Part Numbers (P/N) in Table 4 of 

Appendix 1 of this AD. Also, reference is now made to Airbus SB A300-53-

6123 Revision 06, which corrected this mistake compared to Revision 05.

Effective Date:

Revision 1: 05 September 2013

Original issue: 27 August 2013

Required 

Action(s) and 

Compliance

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

(1) Within the applicable thresholds as defined in Appendix 1, Table 1 or

Table 2, of this AD, and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed the 

applicable values as defined in Appendix 2, Table 3 or Table 4, of this AD, 

as applicable, remove the fasteners and accomplish an HFEC rotating 

probe inspection of the splice fitting between STRG 24 and 26 in 

accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-53-6123 Revision 06,

or SB A300-53-0350 Revision 03, as applicable to aeroplane model.

Before release to service of the aeroplane after each HFEC inspection, 

provided no cracks are found, install new fasteners.

(2) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, cracks 

are found, before next flight, accomplish the applicable corrective actions 

in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-53-6123 Revision 

06, or SB A300-53-0350 Revision 03, as applicable to aeroplane model.

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

of this AD in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-53-6123 

at original issue up to Revision 05, or SB A300-53-0350 at original issue 

up to Revision 02, as applicable, are acceptable to comply with the 

requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this AD. After the effective date 

of this AD, the repetitive inspections required by paragraph (1) and the 

corrective actions required by paragraph (2) of this AD must be 

accomplished in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A300-53-6123 Revision 06, or SB A300-53-0350 Revision 03, as

applicable to aeroplane model.

Ref. Publications: Airbus SB A300-53-0199 original issue dated 08 July 1985, or Revision 01 

dated 28 November 1985, or Revision 02 dated 06 February 1987, or Revision 

03 dated 03 June 1987, or Revision 04 dated 12 November 2002.

Airbus SB A300-53-0350 original issue dated 25 October 1999, or Revision 01

dated 18 December 2001, or Revision 02 dated 12 November 2002, or

Revision 03 dated 26 July 2007.

Airbus SB A300-53-6123 original issue dated 25 October 1999, or Revision 02

dated 12 November 2002, or Revision 03 dated 20 August 2004, or Revision 

04 dated 25 April 2008, or Revision 05 dated 01 August 2011, or Revision 06 

dated 28 September 2011.

Airbus SB A300-53-6131 original issue dated 22 August 2001.

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.
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2. This AD was posted on 12 March 2013 as PAD 13-045 for consultation 

until 09 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), 

Email: continued.airworthiness-wb.external@airbus.com
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Appendix 1 – Inspection Thresholds

Table 1: Inspection thresholds for A300 aeroplanes, whichever occurs later, A or B

Affected Aeroplanes:

(pre- or post-Mod 5890, 

or pre- or post-SB 

A300-53-0199)

Compliance Time A:

whichever occurs first since aeroplane first flight

A300B4-100 aeroplanes A300B4-200, A300C4-203 and 

A300F4-203 aeroplanes

Pre-Mod/-SB 4 000 flight cycles (FC) or

8 000 flight hours (FH)

3 300 FC or 6 800 FH

Post-Mod/-SB 10 500 FC or 21 200 FH 8 650 FC or 18 000 FH

Compliance time B:

For all A300B4 models post-Mod 5890, or post-SB A300-53-0199: Before exceeding 750 FC or 1 500 FH,

whichever occurs first after 13 April 2002 (the effective date of DGAC France AD 2002-184).

For all other A300 models: Before exceeding 1 800 FC or 3 000 FH, whichever occurs first after 

13 April 2002 (the effective date of DGAC France AD 2002-184).

Table 2: Inspection thresholds for A300-600 aeroplanes, whichever occurs later, A or B

Affected Aeroplanes:

(pre- or post-Mod 5890, 

or pre- or post-SB 

A300-53-6131)

Compliance Time A:

whichever occurs first since aeroplane first flight

Average flight Time (AFT)

more than 1,5 hours

AFT equal to or less than 

1,5 hours

Pre-Mod/-SB 2 500 FC or 5 500 FH 2 700 FC or 4 100 FH

Post-Mod/SB 6 800 FC or 14 700 FH 7 300 FC or 11 000 FH

Compliance time B: 800 FC or 1 750 FH, whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD.
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Appendix 2 – Inspection Intervals

Table 3: Inspection intervals for A300 aeroplanes, whichever occurs later, A or B

Affected Aeroplanes:

(pre- or post-Mod 5890, or 

pre- or post-SB A300-53-0199; 

splice P/N installed)

Compliance Time A:

whichever occurs first

A300B4-100 aeroplanes A300B4-200, A300C4-203 

and A300F4-203 

aeroplanes

Pre-Mod/-SB

2 800 FC or 5 700 FH 2 300 FC or 4 800 FH

Post-Mod/-SB; P/N A53834139-200/-201

Post-Mod/-SB; P/N A53834139-202/-203,

or P/N A53812635-200/-201 4 800 FC or 9 700 FH 3 950 FC or 8 200 FH

Compliance time B:

For all A300B4 models post-Mod 5890, or post-SB A300-53-0199: Before exceeding 750 FC or 1 500 FH,

whichever occurs first after 13 April 2002 (the effective date of DGAC France AD 2002-184).

For all other A300 models: Before exceeding 1 800 FC or 3 000 FH, whichever occurs first after 

13 April 2002 (the effective date of DGAC France AD 2002-184).

Table 4: Inspection intervals for A300-600 aeroplanes, whichever occurs later, A or B

Affected Aeroplanes:

(pre- or post-Mod 5890, 

or pre- or post-SB A300-53-6131; 

splice P/N installed)

Compliance Time A:

whichever occurs first

AFT more than 1,5 hours AFT equal to or less 

than 1,5 hours

Pre-Mod/-SB

2 000 FC or 4 300 FH 2 100 FC or 3 200 FH

Post-Mod/-SB; P/N A53834139-202/-203

Post-Mod/-SB; P/N A53812635-200/-201/

-202/-203 1 600 FC or 3 500 FH 1 700 FC or 2 600 FH

Compliance time B: 800 FC or 1 750 FH, whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD.