EASA PAD No.

: 24-130

Notification of a Proposal to issue

an Airworthiness Directive
PAD No.: 24-130
Issued: 29 October 2024
Note: This Proposed Airworthiness Directive (PAD) is issued by EASA, acting in accordance with
Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 on behalf of the European Union, its Member States and of the
European third countries that participate in the activities of EASA under Article 129 of that
Regulation.

In accordance with the EASA Continuing Airworthiness Procedures, the Executive Director is proposing the issuance of an EASA Airworthiness Directive
(AD), applicable to the aeronautical product(s) identified below.
All interested persons may send their comments, referencing the PAD Number above, to the e-mail address specified in the ‘Remarks’ section, prior to
the consultation date indicated.

Design Approval Holder’s Name: Type/Model designation(s):

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC 130 B4 helicopters

Effective Date: [TBD - standard: 14 days after AD issue date]

TCDS Number(s): EASA.R.008
Foreign AD: Not applicable
Supersedure: None

ATA 52 – Doors – Door Star Support – Modification

Manufacturer(s):
Airbus Helicopters (AH), formerly Eurocopter, Eurocopter France, Aerospatiale

Applicability:
EC 130 B4 helicopters, all serial numbers.

Definitions:
For the purpose of this AD, the following definitions apply:

Affected part: Composite doors, having Part Number (P/N) 350A25043100 (sliding door),
P/N 350A25002400 (right-hand swing door) or P/N 350A25042600 (left-hand swing door).

The applicable ASB: AH Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) ASB EC130-52A019 Revision 01.

Groups: Group 1 helicopters are those that have an affected part installed. Group 2 helicopters are
those that do not have an affected part installed.

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Reason:
A case was reported where, after landing, the passengers of an AH EC 120 helicopter could not open
the sliding door from inside. The passengers had to leave the helicopter through the other door. The
results of the subsequent investigation revealed a sliding door star axle support failure.

This condition, if not corrected, could delay the evacuation from the helicopter in case of
emergency, possibly resulting in injury to the occupants.

To address this potential unsafe condition, EC published ASB EC120-52A014, later revised, and ASB
EC130-52A009 to provide modification instructions, and EASA issued AD 2013-0093, later
superseded by EASA AD 2015-0020, to require modification of the sliding door star support.

After EASA AD 2015-0020 was issued, several incidents on the left-hand side doors (swing and
sliding) revealed some weaknesses in the locking mechanism. Prompted by these occurrences, AH
developed improved instructions for replacement of the rod ends and installation process of the
reinforcements. To address these clarifications, AH issued ASB EC120-52A018 and ASB EC130-
52A019 accordingly (both now at Revision 01), which also further expanded the Applicability.
Subsequently, EASA issued AD 2020-0095, retaining the requirements of EASA AD 2015-0020, which
was superseded, expanding the Applicability and requiring modification of the sliding door star
support using improved instructions for rod ends replacement and installation of reinforcements.

Since that AD was issued, it has been identified that EASA AD 2020-0095 erroneously excluded from
the Applicability EC 130 B4 helicopters that have embodied EC MOD 07 3796. Consequently, all EC
130 B4 were ruled out from the Applicability of that AD.

For the reason described above, this AD requires modification of the door star support of affected
helicopters using improved instructions for rod ends replacement and installation of
reinforcements.

Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s):

Required as indicated by this AD, unless the actions required by this AD have been already
accomplished:

Modification:
(1) For Group 1 helicopters: Within 24 months after the effective date of this AD, modify the door
locking/unlocking mechanism in accordance with the instructions of the ASB.

Parts Installation:
(2) Do not install an affected part on any helicopter, as required by paragraph (2.1) or (2.2) of this
AD, as applicable:

(2.1) For Group 1 helicopters: After modification of the helicopter as required by paragraph
(1) of this AD.

(2.2) For Group 2 helicopters: From the effective date of this AD.

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Credit:
(3) Modification of a helicopter, accomplished before the effective date of this AD in accordance
with the instructions of ASB EC130-52A019 at original issue is acceptable to comply with the
requirement of paragraph (1) of this AD for that helicopter.

Ref. Publications:
AH ASB EC130-52A019 original issue dated 18 April 2016, or Revision 01 dated 12 July 2016.

The use of later approved revisions of the above-mentioned document is acceptable for compliance
with the requirements of this AD.

Remarks:
1. This Proposed AD will be closed for consultation on 26 November 2024.

2. Enquiries regarding this PAD should be referred to the EASA Safety Information Section,
Certification Directorate. E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu.

3. Information about any failures, malfunctions, defects or other occurrences, which may be
similar to the unsafe condition addressed by this PAD, and which may occur, or have occurred
on a product, part or appliance not affected by this PAD, can be reported to the EU aviation
safety reporting system. This may include reporting on the same or similar components, other
than those covered by the design to which this PAD applies, if the same unsafe condition can
exist or may develop on an aircraft with those components installed. Such components may be
installed under an FAA Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA), Supplemental Type Certificate
(STC) or other modification.

4. For any question concerning the technical content of the requirements in this PAD, please
contact: Airbus Helicopters Customer Support, Telephone +33 (0)4.42.85.97.89,
Fax + 33 (0)4.42.85.99.66, E-mail: Airframe.Technical-Support@airbus.com,
Technical Request Management: TechnicalSupport.Helicopters@airbus.com.

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