EASA AD No.: 2013

- 0132

- E

TE. CAP.0011 1

- 00 3 © European Avi ation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. 

## EASA EMERGENCY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No

. : 2013 - 0132 - E

Date: 25 June 2013

Note: This Emergency 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 E U 748/2012 , 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]. 

### Design Approval Holder’s Name: AIRBUS Type/Model designation(s): A318, A319, A320 and A321 aeroplanes

TCDS Number: EASA.A.064

F oreign AD: Not applicable Supersedure: None



### ATA 32 Landing Gear
– Main Landing Gear Door Actuator / Control Interface Unit I nter l ink
– Inspection / Disconnection

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie) Applicability: Airbus A318

- 111, A318

- 112, A318

- 121, A318

- 122, A319

- 111, A319

- 112, A319

- 113, A319

- 114, A319

- 115, A319

- 131, A319

- 132, A319

- 133, A320

- 111, A320

- 211, A320

- 212, A320

- 214, A320

- 215, A320

- 216, A320

- 231, A320

- 232, A320

- 233, A321

- 111, A321

- 112, A321

- 131, A321

- 211, A321

- 212, A321

- 2 13, A321

- 231 and A321

- 232 aeroplanes, all manufacturer serial numbers

. Reason: Some operators reported slow operation of the main landing gear ( MLG ) door opening/closing sequence, leading to the generation of Centralized Fault Display System (CFDS) messag es/ ECAM warnings during the landing gear retraction or extension sequence. Investigations showed that the damping ring and associated retaining ring of the MLG door actuator deteriorate. The resultant debris increases the friction inside the actuator which can be sufficiently high to restrict opening of the MLG door by gravity, during operation of the landing gear alternate (free

- fall) extension system. This condition, if not detected and corrected, could prevent the full extension and/or down

- locking of t he MLG, possibly resulting in MLG collapse during landing and consequent damage to the aeroplane and injury to occupants. To address this potential unsafe condition, EASA issued AD 2011

- 0069 (currently at R1) to require an amendment of the applicable Airpl ane Flight Manual (AFM), repetitive checks of specific CFDS messages, and repetitive inspections of the opening sequence of the MLG door actuator and, depending on findings, corrective action.EASA AD No.: 2013

- 0132

- E

TE. CAP.0011 1

- 00 3 © European Avi ation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. Since that AD was issu ed , following a recent occurrence with a gear extension problem , additional analyses by Airbus have revealed that the CFDS expected specific messages may be not generated and as a result , repetitive checks of messages are not effective for aeroplane s fi tted with landing gear control i nterface u n it ( LGCIU ) interlink communication ARINC 429 ( applied in production through Airbus Modification ( m od.) 39303 , or in service through Airbus Service Bulletin ( SB ) A320

- 32

- 1409 ) , in combination with certain LGCIU s and MLG door actuators installed. For the rea sons described above , this Emergency AD requires identification of the affected aeroplanes to establish the configuration and , for those aeroplanes, repetitive inspection s of the opening sequence of the MLG door actuator and , depending on findings, replace ment of the MLG door actuator

. This AD also provides optional terminating action by disconnection of the interlink for certain LGCIUs , or in

- service modification of the aeroplane by installation of MLG actuator P art Number (P /N ) 114122014 through Airbus SB A320

- 32

- 1407 ( Airbus production mod. 153655)

. Effective Date: 27 June 2013 Required A ction(s) and Compliance Time(s) : Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: (1) Before exceeding 800 flight cycles (FC) since first flight of the aeroplane , or w ithin 14 days after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, determine the configuration (modification status) of the aeroplane and identify the P/N of l eft hand (LH) and r ight h and (RH) LGCIU and MLG door actuator s

. A r eview of the ae roplane delivery

- or maintenance records is acceptable for compliance with the requirement s of paragraph (1) of this AD, provided the aeroplane configuration and installed components can be conclusively determined from th at review.

Table 1

– Affected Comp onents Co mponent name P/N
LGCIU ( LH and RH ) 80

- 178

- 02

- 88012 80

- 178

- 03

- 88013

MLG door actuator 1 14122006 114122007 114122009 114122010 114122011 114122012

(2) If , during the determination and identification as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, the c onfiguration of the aeroplane is established as post

- mod. 39303 or post

- SB A320

- 32

- 1409 ( Interlink communication ARINC 429 installed) , and a LGCIU and a MLG door actuator are installed with a P/N as listed in T able 1 of this AD, within the compliance time a s defined in paragraph (1) of this AD , and thereafter at interval s not to exceed 8 calendar days or 5 FC, whichever occurs later , inspect the door opening sequence of the LH and RH MLG doors in accordance with the instructions of Airbus Alert Operator Tran smission (AOT) A32N00 1

- 13

. (3) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph ( 2 ) of this AD, any discrepancy is found, before next flight, replace the affected MLG door actuator in accordance with the instructions of Airbus AOT A32N001

- 13

. (4) Replace ment of a MLG door actuator as required by paragraph (3) of thisEASA AD No.: 2013

- 0132

- E

TE. CAP.0011 1

- 00 3 © European Avi ation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 3 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. AD does not constitute terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by paragraph (2) of this AD, unless MLG door actuator s P/N 114122014 are installed on both LH and RH sides in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320

- 32

- 1407 ( see also paragraph (5) of this AD )

. ( 5 ) A n a eroplane on which the LGCIU interlink is disconnected ( Airbus m od

. 155522 applied in production , or modified in

- service in accordance with the instructi ons of Airbus AOT A32N001

- 13) , or on which MLG door actuator s P/N 114122014 are installed on both LH and RH sides ( Airbus m od

. 153655 applied in production , or modified in

- service in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A320

- 32

- 1407) is not affecte d by the requirements of paragraphs ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) of this AD, provided that the aeroplane is not modified to a configuration as defined in paragraph (2) of this AD. ( 6 ) Inspection of the door opening sequence of the LH and RH doors of the MLG of an aeroplane , as required by paragraph ( 2 ) of this AD , is an acceptable alternative method to comply with the requirements of paragraph s (2), (3) and (6) of EASA AD 2011

- 0069R1 for that aeroplane

. Ref. Public ations: Airbus AOT A32N00 1

- 13 original issue , dated 2 4 June 2013

. Airbus SB A320

- 32

- 1409 original issue , dated 19 March 2013

. Airbus SB A320

- 32

- 1407 original issue , dated 14 May 2013

. The u se of later approved revisions of th e s e document s 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. The results of the safety assessment have indicated the need for immediate publication and notification, without the full public consultation process

. 3. Enquiries regarding this A D should be referred to the Safety Information Section, Executive 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

– Airworthiness Office

– E I AS, Fax +33 5 61 93 44 51, E

- mail: account.airworth

- eas@airbus.com

.