Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-18772 · Fuselage
Airbus Defense and Space S.A. (Formerly Known as Construcciones Aeronauticas, S.A.) Airplanes
This AD applies to Airbus Defense and Space S.A. (formerly known as Construcciones Aeronauticas, S.A.) Model CN-235, CN-235-100, CN-235-200, and CN-235-300 airplanes, certificated in any category, all manufacturer serial numbers.
We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Defense and Space S.A. Model CN-235, CN-235-100, CN 235-200, and CN-235-300 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks in certain areas of the rear fuselage. This AD requires repetitive borescope and detailed visual inspections of the rear fuselage lateral beam and its external area, and repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Within the compliance time specified in table 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed the values specified in table 2 to paragraph (g) of this AD, as applicable to airplane model, accomplish the inspections as specified in paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2) of this AD, in accordance with the instructions of Airbus Defense and Space Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) AOT-CN235-53-0002, Revision 1, dated September 17, 2015.
(1) A special detailed inspection for cracks and other discrepancies with a borescope of the rear fuselage lateral beam between frame (FR) 31 and FR 45, left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) side.
(2) A detailed visual inspection for cracks and other discrepancies of the external area of the rear fuselage lateral beam, LH and RH side.
| A or B, whichever occurs later | |
| A | Before exceeding 15,000 flight cycles or 15,000 flight hours, whichever occurs first since airplane first flight. |
| B | Within 50 flight cycles or 50 flight hours, whichever occurs first after the effective date of this AD. |
| Airplane models | Repetitive interval (whichever occurs first, flight cycles or flight hours) |
|---|---|
| Model CN-235 and CN-235-100 airplanes | 3,600 flight cycles or 3,100 flight hours. |
| Model CN-235-200 airplanes | 3,600 flight cycles or 2,800 flight hours. |
| Model CN-235-300 airplanes | 15,000 flight cycles or 15,000 flight hours. |
If any crack or discrepancy is found during any inspection required by paragraph (g) of this AD: Before further flight, contact and obtain repair instructions from Airbus Defense and Space S.A. in accordance with paragraph (k)(2) of this AD, and within the compliance time indicated in those instructions, accomplish the repair accordingly, including any post-repair maintenance task(s), as applicable.
Accomplishment of a repair on an airplane, as required by paragraph (h) of this AD, does not constitute terminating action for the repetitive inspections as required by paragraph (g) of this AD for that airplane, unless specified in the applicable repair instructions obtained in paragraph (h).
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
