The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) requiring airlines to inspect and replace fuel pumps on all Airbus A320 family aircraft. The AD was issued after multiple failures of type 8410 fuel pumps with the part number (P/N) 568-1-27202-005 were reported. The pump failed "due to one of the two screws and nuts holding the gas return connector to the top of the motor housing becoming unscrewed," according to subsequent examinations”.
The AD applies to all Airbus A320ceo and A320neo aircraft, from the A318 to the A321neo, and goes into effect on June 8, 2023. According to EASA, this is an interim AD and more action may be taken at a later date. To address the condition, airlines flying the Airbus A320 family aircraft will have to inspect pump B. Group 1 aircraft (the A319s and A320s without the A321’s center fuel transfer system and all A318s) require an inspection of pump B in the center fuel tank at locations FIN 37QA and 38QA, per the instructions of the Airbus Alert Operator Transmission (AOT) A28N010-22-00R1. Group 2 aircraft, meaning the A319s and A320s with the A321’s center fuel transfer system, and all A321s, require inspections of pump B in the wing fuel tank’s FIN 21QA, 22QA, 25QA, and 26QA following the instructions of the AOT.
If operators find any discrepancies, they are required to replace that fuel pump before the next flight. Otherwise, airlines have to replace pump B in the aforementioned locations within 4,000 flight hours (FH) following an inspection. Finally, EASA has prohibited airlines flying the Airbus A320 aircraft family to install pump B in any of the locations in the center fuel tank or wing fuel tank.
The AD was issued as a precautionary measure to address the potential for an in-tank ignition, which could affect the integrity of the airplane structure and systems.