AD/A330/60 Amdt 1 Wing Shroud Box Bottom Panel (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/A330/60 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes

AD/A330/60 Amdt 1 Wing Shroud Box Bottom Panel 3/2008

Applicability:

All Model A330-200 and -300 aircraft, all serial numbers, with AIRBUS modification 46077 incorporated in production; except aircraft with AIRBUS modification 55568 incorporated in production or AIRBUS Service Bulletin A330-57-3100 incorporated in service.

Requirement:

Action in accordance with the requirements of EASA AD 2008-0002.

Note:  AIRBUS Service Bulletin A330-57-3100 original issue, or later EASA approved revision, refers.

As specified in the Requirement document.

This Amendment becomes effective on 13 March 2008.

Background:

EASA received a report of an A330 aircraft wing shroud box bottom panel missing during routine inspection.  Another report was received of the detachment of the same panel from an A330 aircraft during take-off, causing damage to the surrounding structure and to the horizontal stabiliser tip fairing.  Preliminary investigation revealed that the blind rivets attaching the panel had worked loose, resulting in fatigue damage and crack propagation through the fastener line, with consequent detachment of the panel.

Since the original issue of this Directive, three additional events of panel loss have been reported on aircraft already inspected in accordance with the requirements of the original AD.

Amendment 1 is issued in response to a new EASA AD, which mandates the installation of a bolted shroud box bottom panel instead of blind riveted metallic design.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

30 January 2008