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Airworthiness Directive 97-21-04

recurring
Official AD 97-21-04 · FR doc 97-27221 · 1997-10-20 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A310 and A300-600 Series Airplanes Equipped With Pratt & Whitney Turbofan Engines

What this AD requires

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model A310 and A300-600 series airplanes, that requires flow checks of the hydraulic pump drain system to ensure that the system is not clogged, and correction of any discrepancy. Additionally, this amendment requires replacement of the existing seal of the accessory gearbox with a new, improved seal assembly; this replacement terminates the requirement for repetitive flow checks. This amendment is prompted by reports indicating that hydraulic fluid had contaminated the engine oil system as a result of failure of the seal of the hydraulic pump shaft. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent clogging of the hydraulic pump drain system, which could cause failure of the seal of the hydraulic pump shaft and subsequent contamination of the engine accessory gearbox oil; this condition could result in an in-flight engine shutdown.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect every 12 months. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 97-21-04 applies to

MakesAirbus
ModelsA300-600, A310, A300

Applies to Model A310 series and A300-600 series airplanes to prevent clogging of the hydraulic pump drain system that could cause hydraulic pump shaft seal failure, engine accessory gearbox oil contamination, and in-flight engine shutdown. Applicable service bulletin depends on which Pratt & Whitney engine is installed: A310 airplanes with JT9D-7R4D1/-7R4E1 engines follow Airbus SB A310-72-2022 (Feb 16, 1993), A310 airplanes with PW4152/PW4156A engines follow Airbus SB A310-72-2023 Rev 1 (Dec 22, 1993); A300-600 airplanes with JT9D-7R4H1 engines follow Airbus SB A300-72-6018 Rev 1, and those with PW4158 engines follow Airbus SB A300-72-6019 Rev 1 (both Dec 22, 1993, as revised June 17, 1993). Requires repetitive flow checks (500-hour intervals) until a replacement hydraulic pump gearbox seal assembly is installed, which terminates the repetitive requirement.

Whether AD 97-21-04 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.

How AD compliance is recorded

A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:

Method of compliance — The specific action taken (inspected, replaced, modified) and to what revision.
Date — When the work was done.
Aircraft time — Total time in service / tach at compliance — how recurring next-due is computed.
Signature & certificate — The A&P/IA who returned it to service, with certificate number.
Is AD 97-21-04 complied with on your aircraft?

Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.

Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)

Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.