EASA AD No.: 2014-0098-E

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EASA EMERGENCY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 

AD No.: 2014-0098-E 

Date: 25 April 2014 

Note: This Emergency 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 HELICOPTERS 

Type/Model designation(s): 

AS 332 and EC 225 helicopters 

TCDS Number: EASA.R.002 

Foreign AD: Not applicable 

Supersedure: None 

ATA 53 Fuselage – Splice of Frame X5295 – Modification / Inspection / 

Repair 

Manufacturer(s): Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter, Eurocopter France, Aerospatiale) 

Applicability: AS 332 L2 helicopters, all serial numbers, if equipped with extended aluminium 

splices on frame X5295 installed in accordance with Airbus Helicopters 

modification (MOD) 0726517, or Service Bulletin (SB) 53.01.52 or repair FR 

332 53 507 06, and 

EC 225 LP helicopters, all serial numbers, if equipped with extended aluminium 

splices on frame X5295 installed in accordance with Airbus Helicopters MOD 

0726517 or SB 53-003. 

Reason: Prompted by several reports of cracks developed on helicopter frame X5295 

EASA issued AD 2006-103R1 and AD 2007-0079 for AS332 helicopters, and 

AD 2006-0102R1 for EC225 helicopters to require repetitive inspections of the 

affected frame. Those ADs also introduced an optional terminating action for 

the repetitive inspections, which consisted in reinforcement of the frame 5295 

by installing aluminium splices on both right (RH) and left (LH) fuselage 

external skins of the helicopter in accordance with Airbus Helicopters MOD 

0726517 or SB 53.01.52 or repair FR 332 53 507 06 or SB 53-003 as 

applicable to helicopter model. Since those ADs were issued, during a 

scheduled inspection of an helicopter on which that terminating action had been 

embodied, a crack was detected on the modified frame. 

The subsequent investigation revealed that the crack initiated on one splice, in 

an area hidden by overlapping junction profile of the cabin sliding door rail 

support, and then propagated to the frame. Optional Airbus Helicopters MODs 

are available (MOD 332A081354.00 or SB 05.00.84 for the AS332 helicopters, 

and MOD 0728090 or MOD 332A081354.00 or SB 05-019 for the EC225 
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helicopters) installing a cut-out of affected rail support junction profile to allow a 

convenient access to identify cracks in an affected splice. Modification of a 

helicopter to embody the rail support cut-out allows earlier detection of the 

crack initiation, therefore limits further damage at frame X5295 level. However, 

the affected helicopter was not modified to embody that rail support junction 

profile cut-out. 

This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to loss of structural 

integrity of the helicopter frame. 

To address this potential unsafe condition, Airbus Helicopters issued Alert 

Service Bulletin (ASB) AS332-05.00.97 and ASB EC225-05A038 to provide 

inspection instructions and, depending on findings, corrective action(s). These 

ASBs also provide installation instructions for a cut-out of junction profiles on 

the supports of both RH and left LH cabin sliding door rails. 

For the reasons described above, this AD requires repetitive inspections and, 

depending on the helicopter configuration, modification of both RH and LH 

cabin sliding door rail supports. 

Effective Date: 30 April 2014 

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s): 

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: 

(1) Before next flight after the effective date of this AD, establish the helicopter 

configuration by reviewing helicopter delivery and/or maintenance records 

to determine the following conditions: 

(1.1) Determine if the helicopter is already modified to embody the cutout the junction profiles of the supports of both, RH and left LH, 

cabin sliding door rails. 

Note 1: Cut-out of the cabin sliding door rail supports corresponds to Airbus 

Helicopters MOD 332A081354.00 or SB 05.00.84 for the AS332 helicopters and 

Airbus Helicopters MOD 0728090 or MOD 332A081354.00 or SB 05-019, for 

the EC225 helicopters. 

(1.2) Determine the flight hours (FH) accumulated by the helicopter on 

the date when the aluminium splices on frame X5295 were 

installed. 

Note 2: Installation of aluminium splices on frame X5295 corresponds to Airbus 

Helicopters MOD 0726517 for both AS332 and EC225 helicopters, or SB 

53.01.52 or repair FR 332 53 507 06 or SB 53-003 as applicable to helicopter 

model. 

(1.3) Determine the FH accumulated (on the effective date of this AD) 

by the helicopter since installation of aluminium splices on frame 

X5295 (see Note 2). 

(2) If, during the review as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, it is 

determined that the helicopter was already modified in accordance with 

Airbus Helicopters SB 05.00.84 or SB 05-019, within 110 FH after the 

effective date of this AD, and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 110 FH, 

inspect both RH and LH aluminium splices on frame X5295 in accordance 

with instructions of paragraph 3.B.3 of Airbus Helicopters ASB AS332-

05.00.97 or ASB EC225-05A038, as applicable to the helicopter model. 

(3) If, during the review as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, it is 

determined that the helicopter has not been modified in accordance with 

Airbus Helicopters SB 05.00.84 or SB 05-019, depending on configuration 

of the helicopter, within the compliance time(s) as specified in Table 1 of 

this AD, accomplish all the applicable actions. 
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Table 1: Compliance time and required actions depending on helicopter 

configuration 

Aluminium splices on frame X5295 Required actions 

Installed when the helicopter had 

accumulated equal to or more than 

12 000 FH 

Within 50 FH after the effective 

date of this AD, comply with 

paragraph (3.1) of this AD, 

or 

Within 50 FH after the effective 

date of this AD, comply with 

paragraph (3.2) of this AD, and

within 750 FH after the effective 

date of this AD, comply with 

paragraph (3.1) of this AD 

Installed before the helicopter had 

accumulated 12 000 FH, and the 

helicopter has accumulated at the 

effective date of this AD more than 

1 650 FH since splices installation 

Installed before the helicopter had 

accumulated 12 000 FH, and the 

helicopter has accumulated at the 

effective date of this AD less than or 

equal to 1 650 FH since splice 

installation. 

Before exceeding 1 700 FH 

accumulated since splice 

installation, comply with 

paragraph (3.1) of this AD 

or 

Before exceeding 1 700 FH 

accumulated since installation of 

the splices, comply with 

paragraph (3.2) of this AD, and 

thereafter within 750 FH after 

the initial inspection as required 

by paragraph (3.2) of this AD 

comply with paragraph (3.1) of 

this AD 

(3.1) Within the compliance time specified in Table 1 of this AD, as 

applicable, inspect and cut-out the junction profiles of the supports of 

both RH and left LH cabin sliding door rails, and, thereafter, at 

intervals not to exceed 110 FH, inspect both RH and LH aluminium 

splices on frame X5295 in accordance with instructions of Airbus 

Helicopters ASB AS332-05.00.97 or ASB EC225-05A038, as 

applicable to the helicopter model. 

(3.2) Within the compliance time as specified in Table 1 of this AD, as 

applicable, and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 50 FH, inspect 

the frame X5295 and the inner fuselage skins of frame X5295 to 

detect cracks in accordance with the instructions of Airbus 

Helicopters ASB AS332-05.00.97 or ASB EC225-05A038, as 

applicable to the helicopter model. 

(3.3) Modification of a helicopter as required by paragraph (3.1) of this AD 

constitutes terminating action for the repetitive inspections specified 

in paragraph (3.2) of this AD. 

(4) If, during modification of a helicopter as required by paragraph (3.1) of this 

AD, any crack is found on one of the RH or LH splices, before next flight, 

inspect the frame X5295 and the inner fuselage skins of frame X5295 to 

detect cracks in accordance with instructions of Airbus Helicopters ASB 

AS332-05.00.97 or ASB EC225-05A038, as applicable to the helicopter 

model. 

(5) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (2) or (3.1) of this AD, as 

applicable, any crack is found on one of the RH or LH splices, within 50 

FH, repair the affected splice in accordance with approved Airbus 
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Helicopters repair instructions. 

(6) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (3.2) or (4) of this AD, as 

applicable, any crack is found on frame X5295, before next flight, repair the 

affected frame in accordance with approved Airbus Helicopters repair 

instructions. 

(7) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (3.2) or (4) of this AD, as 

applicable, any crack is found on inner fuselage skins of frame X5295 

accomplish all the actions as required by paragraphs (7.1) and (7.2) of this 

AD. 

(7.1) After each Last-flight-of-the-day, inspect the frame X5295 to detect 

cracks in accordance with the instructions of Airbus Helicopters ASB 

AS332-05.00.97 or ASB EC225-05A038, as applicable to the 

helicopter model. If during the inspection any crack is found, before 

next flight, repair the affected frame in accordance with approved 

Airbus Helicopters repair instructions. 

(7.2) Within 50 FH, repair the affected inner fuselage skins of frame 

X5295 in accordance with approved Airbus Helicopters repair 

instructions. Concurrently with the repair, accomplish a dyepenetrant inspection of frame X5295 to detect cracks and, if any 

crack is found, before next flight, repair the affected frame in 

accordance with approved Airbus Helicopters repair instructions. 

Ref. Publications: Airbus Helicopters ASB AS332-05.00.97 original issue, dated 15 April 2014. 

Airbus Helicopters ASB EC225-05A038 original issue, dated 15 April 2014. 

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 results of the safety assessment have indicated the need for 

immediate publication and notification, without the full public consultation 

process. 

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 Helicopters – Aéroport de Marseille Provence

13725 Marignane Cedex, France 

Telephone +33 (4) 42 85 97 97, Facsimile +33 (4) 42 85 99 66 

E-mail: Directive.technical-support@eurocopter.com.