EASA AD No.: 20 14

- 0 068

TE. CAP.00110

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1 / 4 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. 

## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No

. : 201 4 - 0 068

Date: 18 March 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 E U 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 ope rate an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requ irements 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

- 200/

- 300 aeroplanes

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

F oreign AD: Not applicable
Supersedure: This AD supersedes EASA AD 2013

- 0219 dated 17 September 2013

.



### ATA 53 F uselage

– Trimmable Horizontal Stabilizer S upport S truts
– I nspection / Replacement
Manufacturer(s): Airbus (forme r ly 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 N umbers (MSN) , and Airbus A340

- 211, A340

- 212, A340

- 213, A340

- 3 11, A340

- 312 and A340

- 313 aeroplanes , all MSN

. Reason: During scheduled maintenance on A330 aeroplanes, several Trimmable Horizontal Stabilizer (THS) support strut s at frame (FR) 91 were found cracked at strut body ends. The THS is supported and articulated at FR 91 by f our struts to fix the hinges (Y

- bolts) and keep the structural integrity in lateral direction. Analysis r evealed that cracks can reduce ability of the support struts to carry specified tension loads. This condition , if not detected and corrected, could l ead to t he loss of all four THS support strut s at FR 91 , which would make the remaining structure unable to carry limit loads , resulting in the loss of Horizontal Tail Plane

. A340

- 500/600 aeroplanes are not affected by this AD as different material is used on THS support struts. To address this potentially unsafe condition , EASA issued AD 2013

- 0076 to require repetitive special detailed inspection s of all 8 strut ends of the THS support located at FR91 in the tail cone and, depending on findings,EASA AD No.: 20 14

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- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2 / 4 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. replacement of THS support struts. Th at AD also require d , for aeroplanes on which Airbus Modification 203493 ha d not been embodied in production, o r Airbus S ervice B ulletin (SB) A330

- 53

- 3204 or SB A340

- 53

- 4199, as applicable, has not been embodied in serv ice, the install ation of a clamping device on each support strut end to stop growth of possible cracks ( c rack stopper function) in order to secure integrity of the struts. Since issuance of EASA AD 2013

- 0076, it has been discovered that several aeroplanes are fitted with another strut configuration (SARMA Strut) than the TAC (Technical Airborne Components Industries) strut , which caused the other strut not to be considered

. Consequently , Airbus revised Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3206 a nd SB A340

- 53

- 4208, accordingly in order to add a one - time inspection for SARMA struts and in case of finding to replace it with a TAC strut and thereafter to accomplish repetitive inspection s and EASA issued AD 2013

- 0 2 19 , which is superseded, and require d accomplishment of the instructions as specified in the latest revision of each SB , as applicable

. S ince issuance of EASA AD 2013

- 0219, based on the reporting received from operators, it has been determined that repetitive inspections are also to be accomplished for aeroplanes equipped with SARMA strut. Airbus introduced that inspection in the applicable SB at revision 3. For the reasons described above, this AD retains the requirements of EASA AD 2013

- 0 219 , which is superseded, and requires accomplishment of repetitive inspecti ve inspection for aeroplanes equipped with SARMA strut. Th is AD is considered as an interim action, pending the development of a terminating action

. Effective Date: 01 April 2014 Required A ction(s) and Compliance Time(s) : Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously: For the purpose of this AD , SARMA strut is a strut on which the diameter of the strut end is lower than 43 mm. All other strut s are TAC strut
. (1) Within the compliance time specified in Table 1 of this AD, as applicable, and, thereafter , at intervals not to exceed 42 months or 20 000 flight hours (FH), whichever occurs first , accomplish a High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) inspection of all TAC strut ends of the THS support located at FR91 in the tail cone in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3206 Revision 0 3 , or SB A340

- 53

- 4208 Revision 0 3 , as applicable to aeroplane typ e

.

Table 1

- Initial inspection for TAC strut end s
A340 MSN A330 MSN Compliance Time 002 through 210 inclusive 012 through 209

inclusive within 6 months after 03 April

2013 [the effective date of AD 2013

- 0076] 212 through 447 inclusive 211 through 422

inclusive within 24 months after 03 April

2013 [the effective date of AD 2013

- 0076] 450 through 955 inclusive 423 and

subsequent within 36 months after 03 April

2013 [the effective date of AD 2013

- 0076], or since aeroplane first flight, whichever occurs later For a eroplanes on which Airbus m odification 203493 has been embodied in production, or Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3204 or SB A340

- 53

- 4199, as applicable, has been embodied in service, remove the clamp from each strut end before accomplishing this inspection.EASA AD No.: 20 14

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- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 3 / 4 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. (2) Before next flight after any inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD , accompli sh the corrective action ( s ), depending on the inspection results, as specified in Table 2 of this AD in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A330

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- 3206 Revision 02 or SB A340

- 53

- 4208 Revision 02 , as applicable to aeroplane type

.

Table 2

– Actions after a TAC strut end inspection Inspection results Actions No crack , or cracks within acceptable limits Install or re

- install clamps

Cracks outside acceptable limits Replace strut ( s ) with TAC strut ( s ) and install clamps (3) Within the compliance time specified in Table 3 of this AD, as applicable, accomplish a one - time HFEC inspection of all SARMA strut ends of the THS support located at FR91 in the tail cone in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3206 Revis ion 0 3 , or SB A340

- 53

- 4208 Revision 0 3 , as applicable to aeroplane t ype

.

Table 3

- I nspection for SARMA strut end s
A340 MSN A330 MSN Compliance Time 002 through 210 inclusive 012 through 209

inclusive within 6 months after 03 April

2013 212 through 447 inclusive 211 through 422

inclusive within 24 months after 03 April

2013 450 through 955 inclusive 423 and

subsequent within 36 months after 03 April

2013 or since aeroplane first flight, whichever occurs later (4) Within 12 months after the initial inspection, as required by paragraph (3) of this AD, or within 3 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 12 months , accomplish a HFEC inspection of all SARM A strut ends of the THS support located at FR91 in the tail cone in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3206 Revision 03, or SB A340

- 53

- 4208 Revision 03, as applicable to aeroplane t ype

. ( 5 ) If , during any inspection as required by paragraph (3) or (4) of this AD , a crack on at least one strut end is detected, before next flight, r eplace each cracked strut with a TAC strut and install clamps in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3206 Revision 0 3 , or SB A340

- 53

- 4208 Revision 0 3 , as applicable to aeroplane type

. ( 6 ) Replacement of THS struts on an aeroplane, as required by paragraph ( 2 ) or ( 5 ) of this AD , as applicable, does not constitute terminating action for the repetitive inspections as required by paragraph ( 1 ) or (4) of this AD for that aeroplane

. ( 7 ) Inspections and correct ive actions, accomplished before the effective date of this AD , in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3206 at original issue or Revision 01 or Revision 02, or SB A340

- 53

- 4208 at original issue or Revision 01 or Revision 02 , as applicable to aeroplane type , are acceptable to compl y with the initial requirements of this AD. A fter the effective date of this AD, the repetitive inspect ion s and applicable corrective actions must be accomplished in accordance with the instructions of Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3206 Revision 0 3 or SB A340

- 53

- 4208 Revision 0 3 , as applicable to aeroplane t ype.EASA AD No.: 20 14

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- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 4 / 4 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet. Ref. Public ations: Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3204 original issue dated 07 February 2013 , or Revision 01 dated 13 June 2013

. Airbus SB A330

- 53

- 3 206 original issue dated 07 February 2013 , or Revision 01 dated 10 June 2013 , or Revision 02 dated 08 August 2013 , or Revision 03 dated 28 February 2014

. Airbus SB A340

- 53

- 4199 original issue dated 07 February 2013 , or Revision 01 dated 13 June 2013

. Airbus SB A3 4 0

- 53

- 4208 original issue dated 07 February 2013 , or Revision 01 dated 10 June 2013 , or Revision 02 dated 08 August 2013 , or Revision 03 dated 28 February 2014

. 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. Based on t he required actions and the compliance time, EASA have decided to issue a Final AD with Request for Comments , postponing the public consultation process until after publication

. 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

– EIAL; E

- mail: airworthiness.A330

- A340@airbus.com

.