Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 23, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 71351-71353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29451]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-0725; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-18-AD]; 
Amendment 39-16528; AD 2010-24-09]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Series Turbofan 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 
products listed above. This AD requires a one-time visual inspection of 
the No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube, part number (P/N) 51J041-01, P/N 
50J604-01, or P/N 50J924-01. Tubes that are found cracked or repaired 
must be removed from service. This AD also prohibits repaired tubes 
from being installed. This AD results from one report of a repaired No. 
3 bearing oil tube that caused an engine in-flight shutdown, seven 
reports of repaired No. 3 bearing oil pressure tubes found cracked that 
led to unscheduled engine removals, and one report of a test cell event 
from a repaired tube that cracked. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
cracking of No. 3 bearing oil pressure tubes, which could result in 
internal oil fire, failure of the high-pressure turbine (HPT) disks, 
uncontained engine failure, and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD is effective December 28, 2010.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The address for the 
Docket Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is Document Management Facility, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Gray, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; telephone (781) 238-7742; 
fax (781) 238-7199; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to include an airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to 
the specified products. That NPRM published in the Federal Register on 
June 3, 2010 (75 FR 31330). That NPRM proposed to require:
    <bullet> A one-time visual inspection of the No. 3 bearing oil 
pressure tube, P/N 51J041-01, P/N 50J604-01, or P/N 50J924-01; and
    <bullet> Removal from service if found cracked or repaired, or if 
suspected that the tube was repaired; and
    <bullet> A prohibition on installing repaired tubes.

[[Page 71352]]

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comments received on the proposal 
and the FAA's response to each comment.

Request To Clarify Paragraph (e) of the Proposed AD

    United Airlines asked us to revise paragraph (e) of the proposed AD 
to inspect the tube when the tube is in the piece-part condition. 
United Airlines felt that changing paragraph (e) of the proposed AD 
will make our intent clear.
    We agree. We revised paragraph (e) of the proposed AD to say ``You 
are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed 
the next time the No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube is in the piece-part 
condition after the effective date of this AD, unless the actions have 
already been done.'' We also added a new heading ``Definitions'' and 
new paragraph (i) that defines piece-part condition for the oil 
pressure tube.

Request To Provide Clarification of the Definition of a Repair

    Delta Airlines, Inc. and United Airlines asked us to clarify the 
types of repaired tubes that must be removed. Delta Airlines Inc. and 
United Airlines said the body of the NPRM states that weld repairs were 
the source of the failures.
    We don't agree. All repairs are unacceptable, not just weld 
repairs. Further, the original equipment manufacturer also revised 
their applicable repair manual(s) to remove all repairs to these tubes.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, 
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting 
the AD with the changes described previously and minor editorial 
changes. We have determined that these minor changes:
    <bullet> Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and
    <bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM.
    We also determined that these changes will not increase the 
economic burden on any operator or increase the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD would affect 973 PW4000 series turbofan 
engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that 
it would take about 10 minutes per engine to perform the one-time 
visual inspection when the tube has been removed, and that the average 
labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would cost about $9,154 
per engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of the 
AD to U.S. operators to be $8,923,383.

Authority for This Rulemaking

    Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to 
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the 
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII: Aviation Programs, 
describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.
    We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in 
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: ``General 
requirements.'' Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with 
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing 
regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator 
finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within 
the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition 
that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this 
rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 
13132. This AD will not have a substantial direct effect on the States, 
on the relationship between the national government and the States, or 
on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various 
levels of government.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866,
    (2) Is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and 
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (4) Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or 
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria 
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, 
the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

2010-24-09 Pratt & Whitney: Amendment 39-16528; FAA-2010-0725; 
Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-18-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD is effective December 28, 2010.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the following Pratt & Whitney turbofan 
engines, with No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube, part number (P/N) 
51J041-01, P/N 50J604-01, or P/N 50J924-01, installed:

PW4000-94'' Engines

    (1) PW4000-94'' engines affected are PW4050, PW4052, PW4056, 
PW4060, PW4060A, PW4060C, PW4062, PW4062A, PW4152, PW4156, PW4156A, 
PW4158, PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, and PW4650, including models with 
any dash number suffix.

PW4000-100'' Engines

    (2) PW4000-100'' engines affected are PW4164, PW4168, PW4168A, 
PW4164C, PW4164C/B, PW4170, PW4168A-1D, PW4168-1D, PW4164-1D, 
PW4164C-1D, and PW4164C/B-1D, including models with any dash number 
suffix.

PW4000-112'' Engines

    (3) PW4000-112'' engines affected are PW4074, PW4074D, PW4077, 
PW4077D, PW4084, PW4084D, PW4090, PW4090-3, PW4090D, and PW4098, 
including models with any dash number suffix.
    (4) These engines are installed on, but not limited to, Airbus 
A300, A310, and A330 series, Boeing MD-11, 747, 767, and 777 series, 
airplanes.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from one report of a repaired No. 3 bearing 
oil pressure tube that cracked and caused an engine in-flight 
shutdown, one report of a test cell event, and seven reports since 
2007, of repaired No. 3 bearing oil pressure tubes found cracked 
that led to unscheduled engine removals. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent cracking of No. 3 bearing oil pressure tubes, which could 
result in internal oil fire, failure of the high-pressure turbine 
disks, uncontained engine failure, and damage to the airplane.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed the next time the No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube is in 
the piece-part condition after the

[[Page 71353]]

effective date of this AD, unless the actions have already been 
done.

One-Time Visual Inspection of the No. 3 Bearing Oil Pressure Tube

    (f) Perform a one-time visual inspection of the exterior of the 
No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube for cracks and evidence of being 
repaired.
    (1) Remove the tube from service if any cracks are found.
    (2) Remove the tube from service if found repaired, or if 
suspected that the tube was repaired.
    (g) After the effective date of this AD, do not install any 
repaired No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube into any engine.
    (h) Guidance on the No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube visual 
inspection can be found in:
    (1) Pratt & Whitney Clean, Inspect, Repair Manual PN 51A357, 72-
41-20 for PW4000-94'' and PW4000-100'' series engines; or
    (2) Pratt & Whitney Clean, Inspect, Repair Manual PN 51A750, 72-
41-20 for PW4000-112'' series engines.

Definitions

    (i) For the purpose of this AD, piece part condition means that 
the part is completely disassembled from the engine as specified in 
the disassembly instructions in the manufacturer's engine manual.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (j) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, may approve 
alternative methods of compliance for this AD, if requested using 
the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (k) For more information about this AD, contact James Gray, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and 
Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 
01803; telephone (781) 238-7742; fax (781) 238-7199; e-mail: 
[email protected].

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (l) None.


    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on November 16, 2010.
Robert G. Mann,
Acting Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-29451 Filed 11-22-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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