EASA AD No.:2010-0044 

EASA Form 110 Page 1/2 

EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 

AD No.: 2010-0044 

[Correction: 25 March 2010] 

Date: 17 March 2010 

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 EC 1702/2003, Part 21A.3B. In accordance 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 

operate 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]. 

Type Approval Holder’s Name : 

AIRBUS 

Type/Model designation(s) : 

A340-200/-300 aeroplanes 

TCDS Number : EASA.A.015 

Foreign AD : Not applicable 

Supersedure : None 

ATA 78 Exhaust – Thrust Reverser Actuation System Doors – Replacement 

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie) 

Applicability: Airbus A340 aeroplanes, models -211, -212, -213, -311, -312 and -313, all 

manufacturer serial numbers. 

Reason: Two A340-300 aeroplanes experienced one single door opening of engine 

number (n°) 3 Thrust Reverser (TR) pivoting door during climb. These events 

were the result of a primary lock malfunction and incorrect engagement of the 

secondary lock. 

While investigations on root cause of these events were conducted, preventive 

actions have been required by EASA AD 2008-0074, AD 2009-0063 and 

AD 2009-0133. 

The root cause has now been identified as being a combined failure of the 

thrust reverser pivoting door primary lock and actuator. 

Deployment of one TR door in flight, particularly during the take-off or go 

around, could result in heavy buffet at low speed, or could significantly reduce 

take off performance, which would constitute an unsafe condition. 

Investigations have also identified that 10 TR pivoting doors of the 16 installed 

on each aeroplane may cause such effects. These are: 

- Outboard engines (n° 1 and 4): all 4 pivoting doors of each engine. 

- Inboard engines (n° 2 and 3): upper inboard pivoting door of each engine. 

In order to reinforce the thrust reverser locking mechanism, this AD requires 

installation of a new modified primary lock and a new modified actuator on the 

10 critical thrust reverser pivoting doors. 
EASA AD No.:2010-0044 

EASA Form 110 Page 2/2 

This AD correction is issued to amend the engines numbering in Picture 1 of the 

“Required action and Compliance Time” section of this AD. 

Effective Date: 31 March 2010 

Required 

action(s) and 

Compliance 

Time(s): 

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: 

(1) No later than 28 February 2011, do the actions specified in paragraph (3) 

of this AD on the upper inboard thrust reverser pivoting door of each 

engine, as identified by the label in Picture 1 below. 

(2) No later than 31 December 2012, do the actions specified in paragraph 

(3) of this AD on the upper outboard thrust reverser pivoting doors of 

engines n°1 and n°4, and lower thrust reverser pivoting doors (inboard 

and outboard) of engines n°1 and n°4 as identified by the label in 

Picture 1 below. 

(3) Replace the primary lock in accordance with the instructions defined in 

Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A340-78-4037, 

 and 

Remove the installed shim and replace the actuator in accordance with 

the instructions defined in Airbus SB A340-78-4038. 

Picture 1 

Ref. Publications: Airbus Service Bulletin A340-78-4037 at Original issue; 

Airbus Service Bulletin A340-78-4038 at Original issue. 

The use of later approved revisions of these documents is acceptable for 

compliance with the requirements of this AD. 

Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve Alternative 

Methods of Compliance for this AD. 

2. This AD was posted on 05 February 2010 as PAD 10-016 for consultation 

until 05 March 2010. The Comment Response Document can be found at: 

http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ . 

3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the Airworthiness 

Directives, Safety Management & Research Section, Certification 

Directorate, EASA. E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu. 

4. For any question concerning the technical content of the requirements in 

this AD, please contact: AIRBUS SAS – Airworthiness Office - EAL. 

Fax: +33 5 61 93 45 80 ; E-mail: airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com. 

Engine n°4 

Engine n°3 Engine n°2

Engine n°4 Engine n°1 EnEnggine n°4 ine n°4 Engine n°1

Engine n Engine n°°22