CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE

1 ROND POINT MAURICE BELLONTE

31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX FRANCE
TELEPHONE + 33 (0)5 61 93 33 33

OPERATORS INFORMATION TRANSMISSION - OIT

SUBJECT: ATA 32 – Main Landing Gear (MLG) - Sliding Tube fracture

AIRCRAFT TYPE: A318,A319,A320,A321

OUR REF.: 999.0098/17 Rev 01 dated 07-DEC-2017

OUR PREV. REF.: 999.0098/17 Rev 00 dated 01-DEC-2017

OIT CATEGORY: ADVICE

NOTICE: This OIT provides recommendations on Maintenance and Engineering issues. It is left to each
Operator’s discretion whether to distribute this OIT, or to distribute the information contained in this OIT,
to all of their applicable Maintenance and Engineering organizations for information or application of the
recommendation.

REFERENCED DOCUMENTS:
Ref 1: MLG Sliding Tube IPC ref. 32-11-13-02 (P/N 201160302; 201160324; 201371300; 201371301;
201371302; 201371304)

0. REASON FOR REVISION

The purpose of this revision is to correct a typographical error in the “Currently installed aircraft MSN” list.
The only change is the aircraft MSN allocation. There is no change to the Sliding Tube Part or serial
numbers. The revised paragraphs are indicated between **BEG. REV** and **END REV**.

1. PURPOSE
The aim of this OIT is to inform operators about:
- A reported case of an A320 MLG Sliding Tube found fractured in-service
- The results of the root cause investigation
- The release of an Inspection Service Bulletin (ISB) to inspect a batch of MLG Sliding Tubes

2. BACKGROUND
In May 2017, an A320 MLG Sliding Tube was found fractured at the lower area of the Sliding tube prior to
aircraft dispatch. The MLG was subsequently removed and sent for investigation.

The conclusion of the investigation determined that a crack initiated in the Sliding Tube at the jacking
dome bore, resulting in the fracture of the Sliding Tube in 3 parts. The area of the crack initiation was
found to have evidence of thermal abuse. It was concluded that the source of this damage was as a result
of an improper set up of the Non-Destructive Test (NDT) equipment when performing a Magnetic Particle
Inspection (MPI) on this Sliding Tube at overhaul.

A batch of 81 MLG Sliding Tubes that may have been potentially exposed to similar conditions during the
accomplishment of the MPI operation by this MRO during overhaul are listed in this OIT Appendix 01.

All Sliding Tubes from this batch have been delivered from this MRO to 3 operators. The 3 operators
have been contacted and an activity has been carried out to determine the location of the Sliding Tubes
since the delivery from the MRO to these 3 operators. A number of the Sliding Tubes have been located
and the aircraft MSN that the Sliding Tubes are currently installed is listed in this OIT. The operators with
these Sliding Tubes in their fleet have been contacted. There are 15 Sliding Tubes that we have been

OIT ref: 999.0098/17 Rev 01 Page 1 of 5 Date: 07-DEC-2017

© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT
CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE
1 ROND POINT MAURICE BELLONTE
31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX FRANCE
TELEPHONE + 33 (0)5 61 93 33 33

OPERATORS INFORMATION TRANSMISSION - OIT

unable to locate the aircraft MSN that they are currently installed on. These have been listed in this OIT
as unknown.

3. MAINTENANCE/ENGINEERING
A fleet wide ISB ref. 32-1461 is to be released in order recommend a repetitive General Visual Inspection
(GVI) of the potentially affected batch of 81 MLG Sliding Tubes. The known operators affected by this
batch have been contacted already by Airbus to inform them of the upcoming release of this ISB and to
recommend to start this inspection at the earliest.

For the majority of operators this ISB will only involve reviewing the list of Sliding Tube serial numbers to
determine if they are in their fleet.

We would like to inform operators, that if they have any of the listed sliding tube serial numbers installed
in their fleet to contact Airbus.

This ISB will recommend operators to check if there is a Sliding Tube from the batch in their fleet and if
yes, to check if the Sliding Tube of this batch has been overhauled since the date provided for that serial
number. If an overhaul of the Sliding Tube has been performed since the date provided then no further
action is required. If the Sliding Tube has not been overhauled since the date provided then a GVI should
be performed within 500FC of the release of the ISB. This GVI is to be performed every 1000FC until the
next overhaul.

The aim of this repetitive GVI is to detect a crack in the area surrounding the jacking dome bore.

The GVI will require cleaning of the external area of the MLG Sliding Tube surrounding the jacking dome
bore and then visual inspection for cracks. No aircraft jacking or specific tooling will be required to
perform the GVI.

This repetitive visual inspection will be terminated by MLG Sliding Tube overhaul in accordance with the
applicable CMM.

The release of this ISB is targeted for end of January 2018. It is anticipated that the ISB will be mandated
by an Airworthiness Directive.

4. FOLLOW UP
No revision of this OIT is forecasted.

5. CONTACTS
Questions about the technical content of this OIT are to be addressed to Airbus Customer Services
through TechRequest on Airbus World, selecting Engineering Domain and ATA 32-11.

Best Regards,

René SAVOIE
Senior Director
Hydraulics, Landing Gear
& Flight Controls Systems – SEEL
CUSTOMER SERVICE

OIT ref: 999.0098/17 Rev 01 Page 2 of 5 Date: 07-DEC-2017

© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT
CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE
1 ROND POINT MAURICE BELLONTE
31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX FRANCE
TELEPHONE + 33 (0)5 61 93 33 33

OPERATORS INFORMATION TRANSMISSION - OIT

Appendix 01 : Batch of Sliding Tubes

Completion date of Currently installed

Part number Serial number overhaul aircraft MSN
201371302 B258 4800 28/05/2008 836
201371304 B168-1948 20/08/2009 1104
201371304 B951935 12/03/2009 989
**BEG. REV**
201371302 B210-4684 19/12/2007 783
201160302 1071 01/04/2008 788
201160302 1116B 01/06/2008 798
201160302 73B 01/06/2008 798
201371302 B196-1879 27/03/2008 825
201371302 B241-4668 19/05/2008 825
201371302 B264-4787 09/06/2008 843
201371302 B265-4808 23/06/2008 843
201371302 B2564777 03/07/2008 847
201371302 B2704816 23/06/2008 847
201371302 B196-1880 30/09/2008 850
201371302 B2714811 14/07/2008 850
201371304 B003-4830 13/05/2009 862
201371304 B005-4815 21/08/2008 862
201371304 B006-4819 15/09/2008 871
201371304 B0181916 17/09/2008 871
201371304 B0211889 17/09/2008 873
201371304 B0311902 14/10/2008 873
201371304 B026-1895 30/09/2008 882
201371304 B029-1904 30/09/2008 882
201371304 B006-4829 14/10/2008 893
201371304 B0281900 14/10/2008 893
201371304 B025 4853 23/10/2008 898
201371304 B027 1893 23/10/2008 898
201371304 B0321906 14/11/2008 944
201371304 B0334860 14/11/2008 944
201371304 B0234843 15/12/2008 948
201371304 B0364875 15/12/2008 948
201371304 B042-1899 20/01/2009 952
201371304 B554896 08/02/2009 952

OIT ref: 999.0098/17 Rev 01 Page 3 of 5 Date: 07-DEC-2017

© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT
CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE
1 ROND POINT MAURICE BELLONTE
31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX FRANCE
TELEPHONE + 33 (0)5 61 93 33 33

OPERATORS INFORMATION TRANSMISSION - OIT

Completion date of Currently installed
Part number Serial number overhaul aircraft MSN
201371304 B0474885 29/01/2009 965
201371304 B0494851 29/01/2009 965
201371304 B0924936 28/02/2009 980
201371304 B1064967 24/03/2009 989
201371304 B1054968 10/06/2009 1022
201371304 B1081962 03/06/2009 1031
201371302 B228-4755 22/04/2008 826
201371302 B229-4729 22/04/2008 826
201160324 B241 4670 18/05/2008 834
201371302 B261-4810 09/06/2008 836
201371302 B2724797 15/07/2008 842
201371304 B003-4821 31/07/2008 851
201371304 B009-4818 31/08/2008 865
201160324 B013-4846 18/08/2008 865
201371304 B0544888 08/02/2009 955
201371304 B0751922 28/02/2009 955
201160324 B235-4749 08/05/2008 820
201371304 B139 2028 20/08/2009 1104
201371304 B1655066 21/09/2009 1105
201371304 B1025007 24/03/2009 1001
201371302 B198-4649 17/12/2007 783
201371304 B994937 12/03/2009 980
**END REV**
201160302 1309B 16/10/2008 149
201371302 B274-4849 16/10/2008 149
201371304 B1111974 20/04/2009 1523
201371304 B1261991 16/07/2009 1523
201160324 1321B 22/02/2009 769
201160324 MAL1161 17/02/2009 769
201160324 1057 30/04/2009 785
201371304 B123-4994 30/04/2009 785
201371302 B225-4715 24/07/2009 831
201160302 1024B 10/07/2008 845
201160302 64B 10/07/2008 845
201160324 MAL-1315 06/05/2009 Unknown
201160324 12088 01/04/2008 Unknown

OIT ref: 999.0098/17 Rev 01 Page 4 of 5 Date: 07-DEC-2017

© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT
CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE
1 ROND POINT MAURICE BELLONTE
31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX FRANCE
TELEPHONE + 33 (0)5 61 93 33 33

OPERATORS INFORMATION TRANSMISSION - OIT

Completion date of Currently installed
Part number Serial number overhaul aircraft MSN
201160324 1693B 31/10/2007 Unknown
201371302 1801B 29/09/2005 Unknown
201371302 4441B 22/11/2006 Unknown
201371304 B013-4845 08/08/2008 Unknown
201371304 B0374865 20/01/2009 Unknown
201371304 B1194983 30/04/2009 Unknown
201371302 B197-4656 01/12/2007 Unknown
201371302 B210-4687 12/01/2008 Unknown
201371302 B227-4697 13/07/2009 Unknown
201371304 B4675255 12/01/2008 Unknown
201371302 SS4353B 28/02/2006 Unknown
201371302 SS4375 03/06/2006 Unknown
201371304 B019-05 29/07/2009 Unknown

OIT ref: 999.0098/17 Rev 01 Page 5 of 5 Date: 07-DEC-2017

© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT