EASA AD No.: 2012-0194

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2012-0194

Date: 25 September 2012

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 EC 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 2003-290(B)R1 dated 01 October 2003.

ATA 57 Wings – Centre Spar Sealing Angles Adjacent to Pylon Rear 

Attachment Fittings – Inspection / Repair

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie)

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

numbers, except aeroplanes on which Airbus modification (Mod) 8608 has 

been embodied in production.

Reason: Fatigue testing applied to a test airframe confirmed the initiation of cracks on 

the sealing angles of the centre spar, adjacent to rib 8, which could lead to the 

rupture of the sealing angles and the subsequent crack initiation in the bottom 

skin of the wing.

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

of the aeroplane.

To address this unsafe condition, DGAC France issued AD 91-253-128(B) to 

require inspection of centre spar sealing angles adjacent to pylon rear 

attachment fittings of Left Hand (LH) and Right Hand (RH) wings.

Early cracks reported on an in-service aeroplane prompted Airbus to conduct

additional investigations. Based on the results, DGAC France issued AD 2003-

290 (later revised), which superseded DGAC France AD 91-253-128(B), to 

require modification of the affected aeroplanes as specified in Airbus Service 

Bulletin (SB) A300-57-6033 (Airbus Mod 8609), as well as post-modification 

repetitive inspections.

Since DGAC France AD 2003-290(B)R1 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) 
EASA AD No.: 2012-0194

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exercise. The results of these analyses have shown that the inspection 

threshold and interval must be reduced to allow timely detection of cracks on 

the sealing angles of the centre spar, adjacent to rib 8.

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

DGAC France AD 2003-290(B) R1, which is superseded, and requires the 

accomplishment instructions at the new thresholds and intervals given by 

Revision 07 of Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A300-57-6027.

Effective Date: 09 October 2012

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless previously accomplished:

(1) Within the compliance time indicated in Table 1 or Table 2 of Airbus SB 

A300-57-6027 Revision 7, as applicable to the aeroplane configuration and 

aeroplane utilization, accomplish the following actions concurrently :

(1.1) Do a High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) inspection of the centre 

spar sealing angles adjacent to the pylon rear attachment fitting in 

accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-6027 

Revision 07, and 

(1.2) Unless already accomplished, modify the aeroplane by cold 

expansion of the centre spar sealing angles outboard of Rib 8 

adjacent to the pylon rear attachment fitting in accordance with the 

instructions of Airbus SB A300-57-6033 Revision 02.

(1.3) Aeroplanes that have already been modified, before the effective 

date of this AD, in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A300-57-6033 at original issue or Revision 01 are compliant with the 

requirement of paragraph (1.2) of this AD.

(2) Thereafter, repeat the HFEC inspection as required by paragraph (1.1) of 

this AD at intervals not to exceed the values defined in Table 1 or Table 2 

of Airbus SB A300-57-6027 Revision 7, as applicable to the aeroplane 

configuration and aeroplane utilization.

(3) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1.1) or (2) of this AD, 

discrepancies are detected, before next flight, accomplish the applicable 

corrective actions in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A300-

57-6027 Revision 07.

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

constitute terminating action for the repetitive inspections as required by 

paragraph (2) of this AD. 

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

of this AD in accordance with Airbus SB A300-57-6027 at original issue up 

to Revision 06, are acceptable to comply with the initial requirements of 

paragraphs (1.1) and (2) of this AD (initial and repetitive inspections). After 

the effective date of this AD, repetitive inspections and corrective actions 

must be accomplished in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A300-57-6027 at Revision 07.

(6) After modification of an aeroplane in accordance with the instructions of 

Airbus Repair R571 50404, within 3 months after the effective date of this 

AD, or after modification, whichever occurs later, contact Airbus in order to 

get approved instructions for post-repair repetitive inspections and 

corrective actions and, thereafter, within the intervals and compliance 

time(s) specified, accomplish those instructions accordingly.

Ref. Publications: Airbus SB A300-57-6033 original issue dated 31 March 1993, Revision 01 

dated 18 December 2003, or Revision 02 dated 19 September 2011.

Airbus SB A300-57-6027 Revision 07 dated 06 June 2011.

The use of later approved revisions of these documents is acceptable for 
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compliance with the requirements of this AD.

Airbus Repair R571 50404.

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

Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD.

2. This AD was posted on 24 August 2012 as PAD 12-114 for consultation 

until 21 September 2012. 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 content of the requirements in 

this AD, please contact: AIRBUS SAS – EIAW (Airworthiness Office), 

Telephone: + 33 (0)5 6118-4139, Fax: + 33 (0)5 6193-4451.