E ASA AD No.: 20 1 4

- 0053

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. 

## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No

. : 20 14 - 0053

Date: 07 March 2014

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 accordan ce 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 ope rate 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): A320 aeroplane s
TCDS Number: EASA.A.064
F oreign AD: Not applicable Supersedure: This AD supersedes DGAC France AD 95

- 098

- 066 dated 24 May 1995

.



### ATA 57 Wing

– Center Wing / Lower Ribs at Frame 36 Junction

– Inspection / Repair
Manufacturer(s): Airbus ( f ormerly Airbus Industrie) Applicability: Airbus A320

- 211 and A320

- 231 aeroplanes, all m anufacturer s erial n umber s (MSN) up to MSN 0084 inclusive

. Reason: During full scale fatigue tests o n the Airbus A320 test specimen , cracks w e r e found in the rib flange on the front spar side perpendicular to vertical posts at frame (FR) 36. It w as determined that similar cracks could develop on certain in

- service aeroplanes. This condition , if not detected and corrected , could affect the wing structural integrity

. To reduce the risk of crack initiation, two modifications for aeroplanes in production and one modification for in

- service aeroplanes were developed by Airbus: Prior to MSN 0 085, the adaptation modification (Mod) 20976 was applied in production , consisting in installing shims under the fasteners linking the rib flange, the lower corner, the front spar and its vertical stiffener ; f rom MSN 0 085 onwards , the serial Mod 20908 was applied in production , consisting in installing reinforced lower surface rib flanges at front spar level. Airbus issued Service Bulletin (SB) A320

- 57

- 1013 for affected in

- service aeroplanes, and DGAC France issued AD 95

- 098

- 066 to require installation of shims under the f asteners linking the rib flange, the lower corner, the front spar and its vertical stiffener

. Following a recent analysis, Airbus identified the need for repetitive inspection s for aeroplanes on which Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1013 or production Mod 20976 has been embodied. For the reason describe d above, t his AD retains the requirements of DGACE ASA AD No.: 20 1 4

- 0053

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. France AD 95

- 098

- 066 , which is superseded, and requires repetitive inspection s of the center wing lower ribs at FR 36 and, depending on findings, accomplishment of a repair

. After EASA issued PAD 14

- 013, it w as discovered that additional work , to be included in Revision 01 of Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1175 , is required to accomplish the inspection s

. This Final AD has been amended accordingly.
Effective Date: 21 March 2014 Required A ction(s) and Compliance Time(s) : Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: Restatement of requirements of DGAC France AD 95 - 098 - 066: (1) For aeroplanes with MSN 005 to 008 inclusive, MSN 010 to 014 inclusive, and MSN 016 to 042 inclusive, before accumulating 16 000 flight cycles (FC) since aeroplane first flight , reinforce the pressure floor fittings in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1013. New requirements of this AD: ( 2 ) For all aeroplanes to which this AD applies: Within the compliance time defined in Table 1 of this AD, as applicable to aeroplane configuration, and , thereafter , at interval s not to exceed 32 500 FC or 65 0 00 flight h ours (FH) , whichever occurs first, accomplish a special detail inspection (SDI) of the radius of the rib flanges and a rototest inspection of the holes in the rib flanges on front spar side in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1175. In addition to the accomplishment instructions of Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1175, during each inspection, remove the shims and fasteners on the rib flange on the front spar side ( installed as per Mod 20976 , or through Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1013 ) , accomplish a SDI o f the radius of the rib flanges, and accomplish a rototest inspection , before reinstall ing the shims and fasteners on the rib flange

. The detailed accomplish ment instructions for this additional work will be published in Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1175 R evision 0 1 . Until the revised SB is available (expected end of March 2014) , operators should contact Airbus to request all necessary instructions for this additional work.

Table 1 Inspection T hreshold Aeroplane C onfiguration Compliance T ime (w hichever occurs later, A or B )

Mod 20976 has been embodied A Before exceeding 47 800 FC or 95 6 00 FH , whichever occurs first since aeroplane first flight

B Within 85 0 FC or 1 7 00 FH , whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD

Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1013 (at any revision) has been embodied A Before exceeding 10 700 FC or 2 1 5 00 FH , whichever occurs first after Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1013 embodiment

B Within 85 0 FC or 1 7 00 FH , whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD ( 3 ) For aeroplanes on which an initial inspection , in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1175 at original issue, has already been accomplished , without having accomplished additional work as specified inE ASA AD No.: 20 1 4

- 0053

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 3 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. paragraph (2) of this AD , within the compliance time as defined in T able 1 of this AD, as applicable, accomplish the additional work as specified in, and as required by , paragraph (2) of this AD

. ( 4 ) If , during any SDI as required by paragraph ( 2 ) of this AD, any crack s are found , before next flight, contact Airbus for approved repair instructions and within the compliance time (s) specified in these instruction s , accomplish the repair , including any follow

- on actions, as applicable, accordingly

. Ref. Public ations: Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1013 original issue dated 12 April 1989, or Revision 01 dated 29 September 1992

. Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1175 original issue dated 24 October 2013 , and Revision 01 [expected end of March 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. This AD was posted on 17 January 2014 as PAD 14

- 01 3 for consultation until 14 February 2014. No comments were received during the consultation period

. 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 conte nt of the requirements in this AD, please contact: AIRBUS

– Airworthiness Office

– EIAS; Fax +33 5 61 93 44 51; E

- mail: account.a irworth

- eas@airbus.com

.