AD 2020-06-13 Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

This AD becomes effective May 11, 2020.

(1) The Manager, Safety Management Section, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: Matt Fuller, Senior Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety Management Section, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone 817-222-5110; email 9-ASW-FTW-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. (2) For operations conducted under a 14 CFR part 119 operating certificate or under 14 CFR part 91, subpart K, the FAA suggests that you notify your principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight standards district office or certificate holding district office, before operating any aircraft complying with this AD through an AMOC.

(1) Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin No. AS332-01.00.90, Revision 0, dated November 21, 2018, which is not incorporated by reference, contains additional information about the subject of this AD. For service information identified in this AD, contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701 N Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone 972-641-0000 or 800-232-0323; fax 972-641-3775; or at https://www.airbus.com/helicopters/services/technical-support.html. You may view the referenced service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. (2) The subject of this AD is addressed in European Union Aviation Safety Agency (previously European Aviation Safety Agency) (EASA) AD No. 2018-0260, dated December 3, 2018. You may view the EASA AD on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA-2019-1015.

(1) Within 50 hours time-in-service (TIS), review records to determine the total hours TIS of each MGB suspension bar RH and LH rear fitting. (i) For any RH rear fitting that has accumulated 1,470 or more total hours TIS, before further flight, remove from service the RH rear fitting and its bolts. (ii) For any RH rear fitting that has accumulated less than 1,470 total hours TIS, remove from service the RH rear fitting and its bolts before the fitting accumulates 1,470 total hours TIS. (iii) For any LH rear fitting that has accumulated 13,600 or more total hours TIS, before further flight, remove from service the LH rear fitting and its bolts. (iv) For any LH rear fitting that has accumulated less than 13,600 total hours TIS: (A) If a Major Inspection “G” has not been completed since the LH rear fitting has been installed, remove from service the LH rear bolts during the next Major Inspection “G” inspection; or Note 1 to paragraph (e)(1)(iv)(A) of this AD: Major Inspection “G” (7,500 hours TIS between overhauls) is defined in Maintenance Manual MET 05-29-00-601. (B) If a Major Inspection “G” has been completed since the LH rear fitting has been installed, before further flight, remove from service the LH rear bolts; and (C) Remove from service the LH rear fitting before the fitting accumulates 13,600 total hours TIS. (2) Thereafter following paragraph (e)(1) of this AD, remove from service any RH rear fitting and its bolts at intervals not to exceed 1,470 hours TIS, remove from service any LH rear fitting at intervals not to exceed 13,600 hours TIS, and remove from service any LH rear bolts during each Major Inspection “G.” (3) During the next Major Inspection “G,” remove from service the MGB suspension bar front bolts. Thereafter, remove from service the front bolts during each Major Inspection “G.”

This AD defines the unsafe condition as MGB suspension bar fittings and bolts remaining in service beyond their fatigue life. This condition could result in failure of an MGB attachment assembly, detachment of an MGB suspension bar, and subsequent loss of helicopter control.