Proposed Rule2023-18259
Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Engines
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 25, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Pratt & Whitney (PW) Model PW2037, PW2037M, and PW2040 engines with a certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) 2nd stage blade assembly installed. This proposed AD was prompted by an in-flight shutdown (IFSD) caused by the fracture of HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly lugs, which resulted in blade liberation and a titanium fire in the high-pressure compressor (HPC). This proposed AD would require a visual inspection of the HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies for missing contact marks, a dimensional shadowgraph inspection of the HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies for blade root profile dimensional inspection, and an eddy current inspection (ECI) of the HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly for conforming slot flatness. This proposed AD would also require removal and replacement of any HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly or HPT 2nd stage blade assembly that does not pass any inspection. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 164 (Friday, August 25, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 164 (Friday, August 25, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58114-58116]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18259]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 164 / Friday, August 25, 2023 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 58114]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2023-1640; Project Identifier AD-2022-00283-E]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Engines
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for all Pratt & Whitney (PW) Model PW2037, PW2037M, and PW2040 engines
with a certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) 2nd stage blade assembly
installed. This proposed AD was prompted by an in-flight shutdown
(IFSD) caused by the fracture of HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly
lugs, which resulted in blade liberation and a titanium fire in the
high-pressure compressor (HPC). This proposed AD would require a visual
inspection of the HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies for missing contact
marks, a dimensional shadowgraph inspection of the HPT 2nd stage blade
assemblies for blade root profile dimensional inspection, and an eddy
current inspection (ECI) of the HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly for
conforming slot flatness. This proposed AD would also require removal
and replacement of any HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly or HPT 2nd
stage blade assembly that does not pass any inspection. The FAA is
proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by September
25, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
<bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
<bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2023-1640; or in person at
Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this NPRM, any comments
received, and other information. The street address for Docket
Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
<bullet> For service information identified in this NPRM, contact
Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 06118; phone: (800)
565-0140; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#98f0fdf4e8aaacd8e8efb6edecfbb6fbf7f5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a3cbc6cfd39197e3d3d48dd6d7c08dc0ccce">[email protected]</span></a>; website: <a href="http://connect.prattwhitney.com">connect.prattwhitney.com</a>.
<bullet> You may view this service information at the FAA,
Airworthiness Products Section, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA
01803. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA,
call (817) 222-5110.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Nguyen, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; phone:
(781) 238-7655; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#385b594a575416565f4d415d56785e5959165f574e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2d4e4c5f424103434a585448436d4b4c4c034a425b">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2023-1640; Project Identifier
AD-2022-00283-E'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposal because of those comments.
The FAA has been informed that PW has done some outreach with
affected operators regarding the proposed corrective actions for this
unsafe condition. As a result, affected operators are already aware of
the proposed corrective actions and, in some cases, have already begun
planning for replacement of certain HPT 2nd stage turbine hub
assemblies and HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies. Therefore, the FAA has
determined that a 30-day comment period is appropriate given the
particular circumstances related to the proposed correction of this
unsafe condition.
Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information you provide. The
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this NPRM.
Confidential Business Information
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Carol
Nguyen, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des
Moines, WA 98198. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for
this rulemaking.
Background
The FAA received a report of an IFSD of a Model PW2037 engine
installed on a Boeing Model 757 airplane that occurred on September 8,
2020. Subsequent investigation by the manufacturer found that two
turbine hub assembly lug fractures on the HPT 2nd stage turbine hub
assembly caused
[[Page 58115]]
the release of four HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies part number (P/N)
1B7522, which caused damage upstream in the HPC, resulting in a
titanium fire. Further investigation by the manufacturer revealed the
blade root profile of certain HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies did not
conform to the manufacturer's type design. The non-conforming blades
installed in the HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly caused uneven
contact on the HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly lug leading to
increased attachment stress resulting in failure of the HPT 2nd stage
turbine hub assembly lug and HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly. This
condition, if not addressed, could result in the uncontained release of
the HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies, damage to the engine, and damage to
the airplane.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other
products of the same type design.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed PW Turbojet Engine Service Bulletin PW2000 A72-
777, Revision 2, dated April 11, 2023 (PW2000 A72-777 Rev. 2). This
service information specifies procedures for performing a visual
inspection of the HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies, dimensional
shadowgraph inspection of the HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies, and an
ECI of the HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly. This service information
is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to
it through their normal course of business or by the means identified
in ADDRESSES.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions identified
as ``RC'' (required for compliance) in the Accomplishment Instructions
of PW2000 A72-777 Rev. 2, except for any differences identified as
exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 425 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:
Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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ECI of the HPT 2nd stage turbine hub 8 work-hours x $85 per $0 $680 $289,000
assembly. hour = $680.
Visual inspection of HPT 2nd stage 8 work-hours x 85 per 0 680 289,000
blade assembly. hour = 680.
Dimensional shadowgraph inspection of 8 work-hours x 85 per 0 680 289,000
HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies. hour = 680.
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary
replacements that would be required based on the results of the
proposed inspections. The agency has no way of determining the number
of aircraft that might need these replacements:
On-Condition Costs
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Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly.... 0 work-hours x $85 per hour = $0 $456,000 $456,000
Replace HPT 2nd stage blade assembly.......... 0 work-hours x $85 per hour = $0 17,000 17,000
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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.
The FAA is 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
The FAA determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 this proposed
regulation:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Would 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, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
[[Page 58116]]
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:
Pratt & Whitney: Docket No. FAA-2023-1640; Project Identifier AD-
2022-00283-E.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by September 25, 2023.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney (PW) Model PW2037, PW2037M,
and PW2040 engines with a high-pressure turbine (HPT) 2nd stage
blade assembly, part number (P/N) 1B7522 installed.
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7250, Turbine
Section.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by an in-flight shutdown caused by the
fracture of HPT 2nd stage turbine hub assembly lugs. The FAA is
issuing this AD to prevent failure of the HPT 2nd stage turbine hub
assembly lug and HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies. The unsafe
condition, if not addressed, could result in the uncontained release
of the HPT 2nd stage blade assemblies, damage to the engine, and
damage to the airplane.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Required Actions
Before exceeding the applicable compliance times specified in
Planning Information, Compliance, page 2, of PW Turbojet Engine
Service Bulletin PW2000 A72-777, Revision 2, dated April 11, 2023
(PW2000 A72-777 Rev. 2), or before accumulating 500 cycles after the
effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, perform all
applicable actions identified as ``RC'' (required for compliance)
in, and in accordance with, the Accomplishment Instructions of
PW2000 A72-777 Rev. 2.
(h) Credit for Previous Actions
You may take credit for the actions required by paragraph (g) of
this AD if you performed these actions before the effective date of
this AD in accordance with PW Turbojet Engine Service Bulletin
PW2000 A72-777, Initial Issue, dated September 29, 2021, or PW
Turbojet Engine Service Bulletin PW2000 A72-777, Revision 1, dated
December 21, 2022.
(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, AIR-520 Continued Operational Safety Branch,
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14
CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local
Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending
information directly to the manager of the certification office,
send it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (j)
of this AD and email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d7969992fa9693fa969a989497b1b6b6f9b0b8a1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ce8f808be38f8ae38f83818d8ea8afafe0a9a1b8">[email protected]</span></a>.
(2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding
district office.
(3) Except as required by paragraph (g) of this AD: For service
information that contains steps that are labeled as Required for
Compliance (RC), the following provisions apply.
(i) The steps labeled as RC, including substeps under an RC step
and any figures identified in an RC step, must be done to comply
with the AD. An AMOC is required for any deviations to RC steps,
including substeps and identified figures.
(ii) Steps not labeled as RC may be deviated from using accepted
methods in accordance with the operator's maintenance or inspection
program without obtaining approval of an AMOC, provided the RC
steps, including substeps and identified figures, can still be done
as specified, and the airplane can be put back in an airworthy
condition.
(j) Related Information
For more information about this AD, contact Carol Nguyen,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines,
WA 98198; phone: (781) 238-7655; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b8dbd9cad7d496d6dfcdc1ddd6f8ded9d996dfd7ce"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bedddfccd1d290d0d9cbc7dbd0fed8dfdf90d9d1c8">[email protected]</span></a>.
(k) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this service information as applicable to do
the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(i) Pratt & Whitney Turbojet Engine Service Bulletin PW2000 A72-
777, Revision 2, dated April 11, 2023.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For service information identified in this AD, contact Pratt
& Whitney, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 06118; phone: (800)
565-0140; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fc9499908ccec8bc8c8bd289889fd29f9391"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d2528213d7f790d3d3a6338392e632e2220">[email protected]</span></a>; website:
<a href="http://connect.prattwhitney.com">connect.prattwhitney.com</a>.
(4) You may view this service information at FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200 District Avenue,
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
(5) You may view this service information that is incorporated
by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at
NARA, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4325316d2a2d30332620372a2c2d032d2231226d242c35"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c6a0b4e8afa8b5b6a3a5b2afa9a886a8a7b4a7e8a1a9b0">[email protected]</span></a>, or go to: <a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html">www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html</a>.
Issued on July 24, 2023.
Victor Wicklund,
Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-18259 Filed 8-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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