AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section. Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 Series Aeroplanes AD/A320/227 Cockpit Door Latch/Striker Assembly 11/2008 Applicability: Aircraft models listed in Table 1, all serial numbers, if equipped with cockpit door electrical latch/striker assembly Part Number (P/N) AR4714-1 or AR4714-3. Table 1 A318-111 A319-113 A320-111 A320-231 A321-211 A318-112 A319-114 A320-211 A320-232 A321-212 A318-121 A319-115 A320-212 A320-233 A321-213 A318-122 A319-131 A320-214 A321-111 A321-231 A319-111 A319-132 A320-215 A321-112 A321-232 A319-112 A319-133 A320-216 A321-131 Requirement: 1. Replace the P/N AR4714-1 and AR4714-3 cockpit door latch/striker assemblies with modified units (Modification 35218) in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A320-25-1444 Initial Issue dated 29 April 2005, Revision 1 dated 19 July 2005, Revision 2 dated 1 August 2006 or later Revision approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). 2. P/N AR4714-1 or AR4714-3 cockpit door latch/striker assemblies may not be installed on any aeroplane as a replacement spare. Note: EASA AD 2008-0151 refers. Compliance: For Requirement 1 - Not later than 31 March 2009. For Requirement 2 - After 31 March 2009. This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 23 October 2008. Background: An A320 aircraft experienced an event where it was not possible to open the reinforced cockpit door, even after power had been removed from the aircraft. Investigation has identified that the cockpit door latch/striker assembly may have overheated, causing permanent internal damage prior to being electrically isolated by the internal thermal fuse. This condition, in case of a rapid decompression in the cockpit, would prevent the necessary unlocking/opening of the door, which may lead to failure of the aircraft structure. To prevent this, an improved strike package/door bolting system, including a Polymer Positive Temperature Coefficient (PPTC) element (overheat protection) was introduced by Airbus Modification 35219 in production and modification 35218 (SB A320-25-1444) in-service. The PPTC is a resettable thermistor and is installed on the frame of the electrically-operated cockpit door latch/striker assembly. The in-service implementation of this modification was originally managed by an Airbus campaign but the rate of installation by operators has not met the expected timescales, making mandatory action necessary to address this. Charles Lenarcic Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 9 September 2008