The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring Airbus A340-500/600 operators to inspect auxilliary power unit (APU) generators after two uncontained failures.
Both events occured on the ground, but they caused “significant damage” to aircraft systems and secondary structure, says EASA, which adds that “liberated generator parts can lead to damage to the APU fire wall... and could then lead to a temporary uncontrolled fire”.
The problem is understood to centre on the Airbus-specified interface between the Goodrich-supplied generator and its mountings.
Source: Flight International
