The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued an emergency airworthiness directive for inspections of Goodrich supplied pitot tubes on Airbus A330s and A340s which may have manufacturing flaws, possibly leading to incorrect airspeed readings.
“Several reports have recently been received of loose pneumatic quick disconnect unions on Goodrich pitot probes P/N 0851HL,” the AD reads. “These may be the result of mis-torque of the affected unions at equipment manufacturing level. Investigations are still on-going to determine the root cause(s).” EASA noted that if not checked, the condition could lead to an air leak resulting in incorrect airspeed readings.
EASA previously issued an AD calling for the exchanging Thales pitot tubes for Goodrich ones on A330s and A340s after it was identified that they were susceptible to icing and delivering faulty airspeed readings in certain conditions. It is believed that incorrect airspeed readings from Thales pitot tubes fitted to an Air France A330-200 may have been a factor in the crash into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil in June this year.
