SAFO 12004: Damage to Airbus A-330 Series Aircraft-Structure Due to Cargo Door “Slamming” Action

Distributed by: AFS-200 OPR: AFS-300

SAFOSafety Alert for Operators

U.S. Department SAFO 12004

of Transportation DATE: 7/18/12

Federal Aviation

Administration Flight Standards Service

Washington, DC http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/info A SAFO contains important safety information and may include recommended action. SAFO content should be especially valuable to air carriers in meeting their statutory duty to provide service with the highest possible degree of safety in the public interest. Besides the specific action recommended in a SAFO, an alternative action may be as effective in addressing the safety issue named in the SAFO.

Subject: Damage to Airbus A-330 Series Aircraft-Structure Due to Cargo Door “Slamming” Action

Purpose: This SAFO notifies maintenance personnel of a potentially hazardous situation which can cause serious injury and damage to equipment when working on or around the A-330 cargo door.

Background: An Airbus A-330 aircraft had been undergoing a “C-1 maintenance check” at ST Aerospace Mobile (MZAR), Mobile, Alabama. The C-1 check had been in progress for approximately four weeks preceding the cargo door “slamming”. During this maintenance check, the rear cargo door was opened and remained opened to facilitate the maintenance and inspection activities. Upon completion of work in the cargo bay area, maintenance technicians selected the manual selector valve to the closed position and used the hand pump to close the door. The cargo door dropped approximately 2 feet damaging the floor frame at #FR62; door actuator and actuator support frame.

The door did not completely fall shut or contact the fuselage.

Discussion: Airbus acknowledges that damage to aircraft and injuries can occur when cargo door “slamming” occurs due to air trapped in the system actuator and lines. There is a warning in the Aircraft Maintenance Manual cargo door closing procedure that states the cargo door system must be bled prior to closing the cargo door if the cargo door was open during maintenance on the yellow hydraulic system, and/or has been open for more than 12 hours. This warning is not sufficient to prevent this occurrence. Due to maintenance shift changes, maintenance schedule interruptions, and other factors, a maintenance technician may be unaware of the time lapsed with the door open.

Further, defects in the system may allow air to enter the system within the 12 hour margin. Airbus has responded to this hazard by issuing service bulletin A330-52-3065 which replaces the cargo door manual selector valve to prevent cargo door slamming.

Recommended Action: It is recommended that air carriers that operate this equipment immediately alert maintenance to exercise extreme caution when working around the cargo door. Air carriers that operate this equipment should, as soon as possible, incorporate the information contained in Airbus service bulletin A330-52-3065, into their maintenance manuals and procedures to prevent any future cargo door slamming. Air carriers that operate this equipment should install a placard in the vicinity of the selector valve warning maintenance technicians of the slamming hazard.

Contact: Questions or comments regarding this SAFO should be directed to Rocky Johnson, ANM-SEAAEG-15, Seattle, Washington - Aircraft Evaluation Group-15, at (425) 917-6634.