EASA AD No.: 2013-0033

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2013-0033

Date: 19 February 2013

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 EU 748/2012, Part 21.A.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):

A330 and A340 aeroplanes

TCDS Number: EASA A.004, EASA A.015

Foreign AD: Not applicable

Supersedure: None

ATA 26, 33,

36, 53

Fire Protection / Lights / Pneumatic / Fuselage – Prevention against 

Explosion Risks in Section 19 – Modifications

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly AIRBUS INDUSTRIE)

Applicability: Airbus A330-201, A330-202, A330-203, A330-223, A330-243, A330-301, A330-

302, A330-303, A330-321, A330-322, A330-323, A330-341, A330-342 and 

A330-343 aeroplanes, all manufacturer serial numbers (MSN).

Airbus A340-211, A340-212, A340-213, A340-311, A340-312, A340-313, A340-

541, A340-542, A340-642 and A340-643 aeroplanes, all MSN.

Reason: Prompted by an accident of a Boeing 747-131 (flight TWA800), the FAA 

published Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) 88, and the Joint 

Aviation Authorities (JAA) published Interim Policy INT/POL/25/12.

In response to these regulations, a global design review conducted by Airbus 

on the A330 and A340 type design Section 19, which is a flammable fluid 

leakage zone and a zone adjacent to a fuel tank, highlighted potential 

deviations. The specific identified cases were that drainage is inefficient in flight 

on A340-500/-600 aeroplanes, maintenance lights are not qualified explosion 

proof, and hot surfaces may exist on bleed system during normal/failure 

operations.

This condition, if not corrected, in combination with a fuel leak generating 

flammable vapours in the area, could result in a fuel tank explosion and 

consequent loss of the aeroplane.

To address this unsafe condition, Airbus developed various modifications of the 

aeroplane, to be embodied in service.
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For the reasons described above, this AD requires removal of bulb type 

maintenance lights for all aeroplanes, installation of the drain mast between 

Frame (FR) 80 and FR83 for A340-500/-600, and installation of muffs on 

connecting bleed elements to minimize hot surfaces on A330 and

A340-200/-300.

Effective Date: 05 March 2013

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

(1) For A330 and A340 aeroplanes, except those on which Airbus 

modification 56739 has been embodied in production:

Within 26 months after the effective date of this AD, remove the 

maintenance lights in accordance with the instructions of Airbus Service 

Bulletin (SB) A330-33-3041 or SB A340-33-4026 or SB A340-33-5006, as 

applicable to aeroplane type and model.

Note: For A340-500/-600 aeroplanes, Airbus issued SB A340-33-5007 to 

introduce halogen type lights which are qualified explosion proof and that 

can be installed (at operator’s discretion) after removal of the nonexplosion proof lights as required by paragraph (1) of this AD. For A330 

and A340-200/-300 aeroplanes, Airbus will issue SB A330-33-3042 and SB 

A340-33-4027 for the installation of similar lights.

(2) For A330 and A340-200/-300 aeroplanes, except those on which 

Airbus modification 52260 has been embodied in production:

Within 26 months after the effective date of this AD, install insulation muffs 

on connecting Auxiliary Power Unit bleed air duct in accordance with the 

instructions of Airbus SB as defined in Table 1 of this AD, as applicable to

aeroplane configuration.

Table 1 : Aeroplane configuration

Aeroplane configuration Airbus SB, as applicable to 

aeroplane type and model

A330 aeroplanes on which SB 

A330-36-3032 is embodied

SB A330-36-3038

A330 aeroplanes on which SB 

A330-36-3032 is not embodied

SB A330-36-3040 

A340 aeroplanes SB A340-36-4035

(3) For an A330 aeroplane on which SB A330-36-3032 is not embodied, and 

for A340 aeroplanes, modification in accordance with the instructions of 

Airbus SB A330-36-3037 Revision 01, or SB A340-36-4033, as applicable 

to aeroplane type and model, is an acceptable alternative to the 

requirement of paragraph (2) of this AD, provided the modification is 

accomplished within the same compliance time as specified in paragraph 

(2) of this AD.

(4) For A340-500/-600 aeroplanes, except those on which Airbus 

modification 54636 or 54637 has been embodied in production:

Within 26 months after the effective date of this AD, install a drain mast 

between FR80 and FR83 in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A340-53-5031.
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Ref. Publications: Airbus SB A340-53-5031 Original issue dated 31 July 2006, Revision 01 dated 

10 January 2008 or Revision 02 dated 03 August 2011.

Airbus SB A330-33-3041 Original issue dated 03 January 2012.

Airbus SB A340-33-4026 Original issue dated 03 January 2012.

Airbus SB A340-33-5006 Original issue dated 03 January 2012.

Airbus SB A330-36-3040 Original issue dated 18 September 2012.

Airbus SB A340-36-4035 Original issue dated 18 September 2012.

Airbus SB A330-36-3037 Revision 01 dated 24 January 2013.

Airbus SB A330-36-3038 Original issue dated 16 January 2012.

Airbus SB A340-36-4033 Original issue dated 23 September 2011.

Airbus SB A340-33-5007 Original issue dated 11 January 2013.

Airbus SB A330-33-3042 (not yet issued at the time of publication of this AD).

Airbus SB A340-33-4027 (not yet issued at the time of publication of this AD).

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 15 November 2012 as PAD 12-146 for consultation 

until 28 December 2012 and republished on 28 January 2013 as PAD 12-

146R1 for additional consultation until 13 February 2013. The Comment 

Response Document can be found at http://ad.easa.europa.eu.

3. Enquiries regarding this AD 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 – EIAL, mail: 

airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com.