EASA issued emergency Airworthiness Directive for Airbus A320

EASA issued emergency AD for  Airbus A320 family: The European Union Aviation Safety Agency, or EASA, has released an Airworthiness Directive (AD) regarding the fuel pumps on a variety of A320 family aircraft. The issue, which involves the risk of a fuel tank explosion, affects aircraft ranging from the A318-111 to the A321neo. The EASA has issued an alert to all affected operators about “a potential quality issue found in the fuel pump ” The AD was released on April 23rd and applies to aircraft built before June 30th, 2015.

What is the issue?

This AD was prompted by the identification of a potential quality issue found in the fuel pump that includes a locking key of the impeller drive shaft found loose in the cavity under the impeller. Incorrect installation of the locking key combined with a pump operation not fully immersed in fuel could compromise the fuel pump integrity.

“This condition, if combined with a pump operating while not fully immersed in fuel, could create an ignition source in the fuel tank. Operating with a combination of these conditions could result in a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.”

According to EASA, this problem affects aircraft manufactured before June 30th, 2015. Any aircraft built after this date may also be affected if “an affected part has been installed on that airplane since its date of manufacture.”

Which aircraft are affected?

Sadly, as mentioned by EASA, this theoretically includes a very broad range of A320 Family variants:
(1) Airbus A318-111, A318-112, A318-121, and A318-122 airplanes.
(2) Airbus A319-111, A319-112, A319-113, A319-114, A319-115, A319-131, A319-132,
A319-133, A319-151N, A319-153N, and A319-171N airplanes.
(3) Airbus A320-211, A320-212, A320-214, A320-216, A320-231, A320-232, A320-233,
A320-251N, A320-252N, A320-253N, A320-271N, A320-272N, and A320-273N airplanes.
(4) Airbus A321-111, A321-112, A321-131, A321-211, A321-212, A321-213, A321-231,
A321-232, A321-251N, A321-251NX, A321-252N, A321-252NX, A321-253N, A321-253NX, A321-271N, A321-271NX, A321-272N, and A321-272NX airplanes.

Although the AD includes all manufacturer serial numbers for these aircraft models, the particular fuel pump that needs to be replaced is restricted. In this case, the Part Number (P/N) is P99C38-605, and the problem affects a list of just over 100 serial numbers. These figures are included in Appendix 1 of the EASA AD.

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The required measures:

For airplanes having only one affected part installed, replacement of that affected part as required. AD may be postponed in accordance with, and within the enforcement timeframe specified in, Airbus DOA-approved instructions to deactivate the affected component, which complement the AOT instructions.

Replace any affected part with a serviceable part within 10 days or 50 flight cycles of the AD’s effective date, whichever comes first, in compliance with the AOT’s instructions.

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