EASA AD No: 2013-0271

TE.CAP.00110-003 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1/3

Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA-Internet/Intranet.

EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2013-0271

Date: 14 November 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 : This AD supersedes EASA AD 2007-0247R1-E dated 07 September 2007, 

including the correction dated 04 October 2007.

ATA 57 Wings – Main Landing Gear Rib 6 Aft Bearing Lugs – Inspection /

Replacement

Manufacturer(s): Airbus (formerly Airbus Industrie)

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

A330-243F, 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: During Main Landing Gear (MLG) lubrication, a crack was visually found in the 

MLG rib 6 aft bearing forward lug on one A330 in-service aeroplane. The crack 

had extended through the entire thickness of the forward lug at approximately 

the 4 o’clock position (when looking forward). It has been determined that 

similar type of crack can develop on other aeroplane types that are listed in the 

Applicability paragraph.

This condition, if not detected and corrected, could affect the structural integrity 

of the MLG attachment.

To address this situation, Airbus issued inspection Service Bulletins (SB) 

A330-57-3096, A340-57-4104 and A340-57-5009 to instruct repetitive 

inspection of the gear rib lugs. 

Prompted by these findings, EASA issued Emergency AD 2006-0364-E to 

require repetitive detailed visual inspections of the Left Hand (LH) and Right 

Hand (RH) wing MLG rib 6 aft bearing lugs. Later, EASA issued AD
EASA AD No: 2013-0271

TE.CAP.00110-003 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2/3

Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA-Internet/Intranet.

2007-0247R1-E, which superseded EAD 2006-0364-E, to:

- expand the applicability to all A330 and A340 aeroplanes, because the 

interference fit bushes cannot be considered as a terminating action, owing to 

unknown root cause; and

- add a second parameter quoted in Flight Hours (FH) to the inspection 

interval in order to reflect the aeroplane utilisation in service.

EASA AD 2007-0247R1-E was republished to correct a typographical error.

Since the first crack finding and issuance of the inspection SBs and related 

ADs, six further cracks have been reported.

For the reasons described above, this AD, which supersedes EASA EAD 

2007-0247 R1-E and retains its requirements, is issued to expand the 

applicability to the newly certified models A330-223F and A330-243F and to 

reduce the threshold further to the risk assessment of recent in-service 

experience.

Effective Date: 28 November 2013

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

(1) Before exceeding 42 months since aeroplane first flight, or since the last 

MLG support rib replacement, as applicable, or within 4 months after the 

effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and, thereafter, at 

intervals not to exceed the values specified in Table 1 of this AD, 

accomplish a detailed visual inspection of the LH and RH wing MLG rib 6 

aft bearing lugs (forward and aft) to detect any cracks in accordance with 

the instructions of Airbus SB A330-57-3096 Revision 04 or SB 

A340-57-4104 Revision 03 or SB A340-57-5009 Revision 02, as applicable 

to aeroplane types and models.

Table 1 – Intervals

Aeroplane Models

Interval

(whichever occurs first)

Flight Cycles Flight Hours

A330-201, A330-202, A330-203, 

A330-223, A330-243 300 1 500

A330-223F, A330-243F 300 900

A330-301, A330-302, A330-303, 

A330-321, A330-322, A330-323, 

A330-341, A330-342, A330-343

300 900

A340-211, A340-212, A340-213 200 800

A340-311, A340-312, A340-313

(except Weight Variant (WV) 27) 200 800

A340-313 (only WV27) 200 400

A340-541, A340-542, A340-642, 

A340-643 100 500

(2) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, a crack is 

detected, before next flight, replace the cracked MLG support rib in 

accordance with approved instructions from Airbus.

(3) Inspections and corrective actions, accomplished before the effective date 

of this AD in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A330-57-3096 

at original issue, or Revision 01, or Revision 02, or Revision 03, or in 
EASA AD No: 2013-0271

TE.CAP.00110-003 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 3/3

Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA-Internet/Intranet.

accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A340-57-4104 at original 

issue, or Revision 01, or Revision 02, or in accordance with the 

instructions of Airbus SB A340-57-5009 at original issue, or Revision 01, 

as applicable to aeroplane type, are acceptable to comply with the initial 

requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this AD. 

After the effective date of this AD, the repetitive inspections and applicable

corrective actions as required by paragraphs (1) and (2) of this AD must be 

accomplished in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A330-57-3096 Revision 04 or SB A340-57-4104 Revision 03 or SB A340-

57-5009 Revision 02, as applicable.

(4) Replacement of a MLG support rib on an aeroplane, as required by 

paragraph (2) of this AD, does not constitute terminating action for the 

repetitive inspections as required by this AD for that aeroplane.

Ref. Publications : Airbus SB A330-57-3096 at Original issue dated 05 December 2006, Revision 

01 dated 18 April 2007, Revision 02 dated 13 August 2007, Revision 03 dated

24 October 2012, Revision 04 dated 06 February 2013.

Airbus SB A340-57-4104 at Original issue dated 05 December 2006, Revision 

01 dated 13 August 2007, Revision 02 dated 05 September 2007, Revision 03 

dated 24 October 2012.

Airbus SB A340-57-5009 at Original issue dated 05 December 2006, Revision 

01 dated 13 August 2007, Revision 02 dated 24 October 2012.

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 24 September 2013 as PAD 13-150 for 

consultation until 22 October 2013. No comments were received during the 

consultation period.

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;

E-mail: airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com.