EASA AD No.: 2014-0148

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2014-0148

Date: 13 June 2014

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 2013-0033 dated 19 February 2013.

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 in-flight fuel drainage is 

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

explosion-proof, and hot surfaces may exist on bleed systems 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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Consequently, EASA issued AD 2013-0033 to require removal of bulb type 

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

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

muffs on connecting bleed elements to minimize hot surfaces on A330 and 

A340-200/-300 aeroplanes.

Since that AD was issued, it was reported that, for A340-200/-300 aeroplanes,

accomplishment instructions in the applicable Airbus Service Bulletins (SB) for 

aeroplanes in Configurations 002 and 005 were detailed in Configuration 003 

and, conversely, accomplishment instructions for aeroplane in Configuration

003 were detailed in Configurations 002 and 005. This can lead to incorrect 

installation of some insulation sleeves on the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Air 

Bleed Ducts between Frame 83 and 84 for configurations 002, 003 and 005 as 

per Airbus SB A340-36-4035 at original issue. Prompted by this finding, Airbus 

revised the affected SB with additional work required for aeroplanes included in 

configurations 002, 003 and 005 that were modified using the original issue of 

the SB.

For the reasons described above, this AD retains the requirements of EASA AD 

2013-0033, which is superseded, incorporates reference to the corrected

Airbus SB A340-36-4035 Revision 01 and requires the additional work as 

specified in Airbus SB A340-36-4035 Revision 01 for aeroplanes already 

modified per the original SB A340-36-4035.

Effective Date: 27 June 2014

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 05 March 2013 [the effective date of EASA AD 

2013-0033], 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 lights which 

are not explosion-proof as required by paragraph (1) of this AD. For A330 

and A340-200/-300 aeroplanes, Airbus issued 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 05 March 2013 [the effective date of EASA AD 

2013-0033], install insulation muffs on connecting APU 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 type / configuration Applicable Airbus SB

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 Revision 01

(3) For A340 aeroplanes in configurations 002, 003 and 005 as defined in 

Airbus SB A340-36-4035 that have already been modified, before the 
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effective date of this AD in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A340-36-4035 at original issue, within 14 months after the effective date of 

this AD, accomplish the additional work in accordance with the instructions 

of Airbus SB A340-36-4035 Revision 01.

(4) A340 aeroplanes in configurations 001 and 004, modified before the 

effective date of this AD in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB 

A340-36-4035 at original issue are already in compliance with the 

requirements of paragraph (2) of this AD.

(5) For an A330 aeroplane on which Airbus SB A330-36-3032 is not 

embodied, and for A340 aeroplanes, modification in accordance with the 

instructions of Airbus SB A330-36-3037 Revision 02, or Airbus SB

A340-36-4033 Revision 02, as applicable to aeroplane type and model, is 

an acceptable alternative method to comply with the requirements of 

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

the same compliance time as specified in paragraph (2) of this AD.

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

modification 54636 or 54637 has been embodied in production:

Within 26 months after 05 March 2013 [the effective date of EASA AD 

2013-0033], install a drain mast between FR80 and FR83 in accordance 

with the instructions of Airbus SB A340-53-5031.

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

dated 10 January 2008, or Revision 02 dated 03 August 2011.

Airbus SB A330-33-3041 original issue dated 03 January 2012, or Revision 01 

dated 10 July 2012, or Revision 02 dated 07 November 2013.

Airbus SB A340-33-4026 original issue dated 03 January 2012, or Revision 01 

dated 10 July 2012, or Revision 02 dated 07 November 2013.

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

Airbus SB A330-36-3040 original issue dated 18 September 2012, or

Revision 01 dated 26 November 2012.

Airbus SB A340-36-4035 original issue dated 18 September 2012, or

Revision 01 dated 24 September 2013.

Airbus SB A330-36-3037 Revision 02 dated 07 April 2014.

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

Airbus SB A340-36-4033 Revision 02 dated 19 May 2014.

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

Airbus SB A330-33-3042 original issue dated 06 November 2013.

Airbus SB A340-33-4027 original issue dated 06 November 2013.

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 January 2014 as PAD 14-010 for consultation 

until 12 February 2014, and re-published on 28 May 2014 as

PAD 14-010R1 for additional consultation until 11 June 2014. 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, 

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