EASA AD No.: 20 14

- 0069

TE. CAP.00110

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1 / 4 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. 

## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No

. : 20 14 - 0069

Date: 19 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 aeroplanes
TCDS Number: EASA.A.064
F oreign AD: Not applicable Supersedure: This AD supersedes DGAC France AD 97

- 311

- 105 dated 22 October 1997

.



### ATA 57 Wings
– Front Spar Vertical Stringers

– Inspection

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie) Applicability: Airbus A320

- 211, A320

- 212 and A320

- 231 aeroplanes , Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) from 0001 to 0155 inclusive

. Reason: During center fuselage certification full scale fatigue test, cracks were found on the front vertical stringer at frame 36. Analysis of these findings indicated that a number of in

- service aeroplanes could be similarly affected. Th is condition, if not detected and corrected , could lead to crack propagat ion and consequent deterioration of the stru ctural integrity of the aeroplane

. To address this potential unsafe condition, DGAC France AD 97

- 311

- 105 was issued to require repetitive inspection s in accordance with the instruction of Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A320

- 57

- 1016. At the same time, the modification provided by Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1017 was considered to be terminating action for the repetitive inspection s required by DGAC France AD 97

- 311

- 105

. Since that AD was issued, and following new analysis, modification per Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1017 is no longer considered to be terminating action for the repetitive inspection s as required by DGAC France AD 97

- 311

- 105

. Aeroplanes with MSN 0080 up to 0155 inclusive have been delivered with the addition of a 5 mm thick light alloy shim under the heads of 2 fasteners at the top end of the front spar vertical stringers (Airbus modification 21290P1546 , which is the production line equivalent to in

- service modification through Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1017). From MSN 0156 and higher , all aeroplanes are delivered with vertical stiffeners of the forward wing spar upper end with stiffener cap thickness increased from 4 to 6 mm (Airbus modification 21290P1547 )

.EASA AD No.: 20 14

- 0069

TE. CAP.00110

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2 / 4 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. Prompted by these findings , Ai rbus issued SB A320

- 57

- 1178 to introduce new repetitive inspection s with new threshold s and interva ls

. For the reason s describe d above , DGAC France AD 97

- 311

- 105 is supersede d and this AD requires the repetitive inspection s at new threshold s and intervals

. After EASA issued PAD 14

- 0 21 , it was discovered that additional work, to be included in Revision 01 of Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 117 8 , is required to accomplish the inspections. This Final AD has been amended accordingly.
Effective Date: 02 April 2014 Required A ction(s) and Compliance Time(s) : Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: (1) Initially, w ithin the compliance time define d in the Appendix 1 of this AD, as applicable, and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed the values specified in T able 1 of this AD, as applicable, accomp l ish a High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) inspection of the vertical stiffeners radius in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320

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- 1178. In addition to the accomplishment instructions of Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 117 8 , during each inspection, remove the shims ( if installed , per Airbus modification 21290 P1546 , or A irbus SB A320

- 57

- 1017 ) and fasteners on front spar vertical stringer , accompli sh a HFEC i nspection of the spar vertical s tringer s r adius and of the horizontal beam radius and a ccomplish a r ototest i nspection before reinstalling the shims and fasteners. The detailed accomplishment instructions for this additional work will be published in Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 117 8 Revision 01. 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

– Repetitive I nspections Aeroplane C onfiguration (see definitions in Appendix 1 of this AD) Compliance T imes ( flight cycles ( FC ) or flight hours ( FH ) , whichever occurs first) C onfiguration 1 8 800 FC or 17 700 FH C onfiguration s 2 , 3 and 4 24 900 FC or 49 800 FH (2) For aeroplanes on which an initial inspection, in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 117 8 at original issue, has already been accomplished, without having accomplished additional work as specified in paragraph ( 1 ) of this AD, within the compliance time as defined in Appendix 1 of this AD , as applicable, accomplish the additional work as specified in, and as required by, paragraph ( 1 ) of this AD. ( 3 ) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, any damage is found, before next flight, contact Airbus for approved repair instructions an d, within the compliance time specified in those instructions, accomplish the repair, including any follow

- on actions, as applicable, accordingly.
Ref. Public ations: Airbus S B A320

- 57

- 1016 Revision 02 dated 20 January 1998

. Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1017 original issue dated 03 September 1991, or Revision 01 dated 17 March 1997

. Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1178 original issue dated 29 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.EASA AD No.: 20 14

- 0069

TE. CAP.00110

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 3 / 4 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD. 2. This AD was posted on 2 7 January 2014 as PAD 14

- 0 2 1 for consultation until 2 4 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.airworth

- eas@airbus.com

.EASA AD No.: 20 14

- 0069

TE. CAP.00110

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 4 / 4 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. 

### Appendix 1

– Inspection Threshold

Configuration 1 : MSN 0001 to 0079 inclusive, pre - SB A320

- 57

- 1017 at original issue or Rev

. 01 Compliance T ime (whichever occurs later, A , B or C )
A Before exceeding 24 000 FC or 48 000 FH, whichever occurs first since aeroplane first flight
B Within 8 800 FC or 17 700 FH, whichever occurs first since the last inspection in accordance with Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1016

C Within 850 FC or 1 700 FH, whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD, without exceeding 14 000 FC from the last inspection in accordance with Airbus SB A320

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- 1016

Configuration 2 : MSN 0001 to 0079 inclusive, post
- SB A320

- 57

- 1017 at original issue or Rev

. 01, without Airbus SB A320

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- 1016 accomplishment prior to Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1017 accomplishment Compliance T ime (whichever occurs later, A or B )

A Within 8 800 FC or 17 700 FH whichever occurs first since modification in accordance with Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1017 (original issue or Rev.01)
B Within 850 FC or 1 700 FH , whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD

Configuration 3 : MSN 0001 to 0079 inclusive, post
- SB A320

- 57

- 1017 at original issue or Rev

. 01, with Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1016 accomplishment prior to Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1017 accomplishment Compliance T ime (whichever occurs later, A or B )

A Within 24 900 FC or 49 800 FH whichever occurs first from Airbus SB A320

- 57

- 1017 at original issue or Revision 01 embodiment
B Within 850 FC or 1 700 FH whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD

Configuration 4 : MSN 0080 to 0155 inclusive

Compliance T ime Before exceeding 54 300 FC or 108 600 FH , whichever occurs first since aeroplane first flight