AD 97-17-04 R1 ACTIVE

The FAA is revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209, -217, -217C, and -219 turbofan engines with front compressor front hub (fan hub), part number (P/N) 5000501-01 installed. That AD currently requires cleaning the front compressor front hubs (fan hubs), initial and repetitive eddy current (ECI) and fluorescent penetrant inspections (FPI) of tierod and counterweight holes for cracks, removal of bushings, cleaning and ECI and FPI of bushed holes for cracks and, if necessary, replacement with serviceable parts. In addition, that AD currently requires reporting the findings of cracked fan hubs and monthly reports of the number of inspections completed. This AD requires the same actions, except for the monthly reporting of the number of completed inspections. This AD results from the FAA determining that it has collected a sufficient amount of data since issuing AD 97-17-04 and that therefore, it no longer needs the monthly reporting of the number of completed inspections. We are issuing this AD to prevent fan hub failure due to tierod, counterweight, or bushed hole cracking, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 22, 2010. The Director of the Federal Register previously approved the incorporation by reference of the publications listed in the regulations as of March 5, 1997 (62 FR 4902).

Final rule.

97-17-04R1 Pratt & Whitney: Amendment 39-16237. Docket No. FAA-2009- 0883; Directorate Identifier 97-ANE-08.

Effective Date

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective April 22, 2010.

Affected ADs

(b) This AD revises AD 97-17-04, Amendment 39-10106.

Applicability

(c) This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT8D-209, -217, - 217C, and -219 turbofan engines with front compressor front hub (fan hub), part number (P/N) 5000501-01, installed. These engines are installed on, but not limited to, McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series airplanes.

Unsafe Condition

(d) This AD results from the FAA determining that it has collected a sufficient amount of data since issuing AD 97-17-04 and that therefore, it no longer needs the monthly reporting of the number of completed inspections. We are issuing this AD to prevent fan hub failure due to tierod, counterweight, or bushed hole cracking, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to theairplane.

Compliance

(e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed within the compliance times specified unless the actions have already been done.
(f) Inspect fan hubs for cracks in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions, Paragraph A, Part 1, and, if applicable, Paragraph B, of PW Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. A6272, dated September 24, 1996, as follows:
(1) For fan hubs identified by serial numbers (S/Ns) in Table 2 of this AD, after the fan hub has accumulated more than 4,000 cycles-since-new (CSN), as follows:
(i) Initially inspect within 315 cycles-in-service (CIS) from the effective date of this AD, or 4,315 CSN, whichever occurs later.
(ii) Thereafter, re-inspect after accumulating 2,500 CIS since last inspection, but not to exceed 10,000 CIS since last inspection.
(2) For fan hubs identified by S/Ns in Appendix A of PW ASB No. A6272, dated September 24, 1996, after the fan hub has accumulated more than 4,000 CSN, as follows:
(i) Select an initial inspection interval from Table 1 of this AD, and inspect accordingly.

Table 1--Inspections

Initial inspection
Re-inspection
(A) Within 1,050 CIS after the effective date of AD 97 02 11, March 5, 1997, or prior to accumulating 5,050 CSN, whichever occurs later;
After accumulating 2,500 CIS since-last-inspection, but not to exceed 6,000 CIS since-last-inspection.
OR
OR
(B) Within 990 CIS after the effective date of AD 97 02 11, March 5, 1997, or prior to accumulating 4,990 CSN, whichever occurs later;
After accumulating 2,500 CIS since-last-inspection, but not to exceed 8,000 CIS since-last-inspection.
OR
OR
(C) Within 965 CIS after the effective date of AD 97 02 11, March 5, 1997, or prior to accumulating 4,965 CSN, whichever occurs later.
After accumulating 2,500 CIS since-last-inspection, but not to exceed 10,000 CIS since-last-inspection.

Table 2--Hubs With Traveler Notations

M67663
M67802
P66880S25545
P66747
R33099
S25292
M67671
M67812
P66885
S25558
P66756
R33107
S25299
M67675
M67826
R32732
S25564
P66800
R33113
S25301
M67681
M67829
R32733
S25598
P66814
R33124
S25302
M67685
M67830
R32735
S25618
P66819
R33131
S25308
M67686
M67831
R32740
S25621
P66831
R33132
S25312
M67687
M67832
R32741
S25637
R32767
R33133
S25316
M67697
M67834
R32810
S25640
R32787
R33136
S25323
M67700
M67843
R32849
T50693
R32792
R33152
S25334
M67706
M67849
R32850
T50752
R32795
R33157
S25335
M67710
M67858
S25222
T50785
R32796
R33163
S25337
M67712
M67866
S25464
T50791
R32800
R33165
S25344
M67713
M67868
S25481
T50792
R32807
R33168
S25369
M67714
M67869
S25483
T50819
R32856
R33171
S25377
M67715
M67872
S25484
T50823
R32860
R33173
S25378
M67716
M67888
S25486
T50827
R32870
R33180
S25381
M67717
N71771S25488
T50874
R32883
R33181
S25394
M67722
N71804
S25489
T50875
R32905
R33189
S25399
M67723
N71806
S25490
T51058
R32926
R33194
S25402
M67725
N71810
S25491
T51104
R32930
R33198
S25406
M67726
N71811
S25492

R32952
R33201
S25411
M67730
N71875
S25494

R32964
R33202
S25413
M67731
N71876
S25495

R32966
R33207
S25414
M67746
N71921
S25497

R32971
S25193
S25415
M67751
N71965
S25498

R32976
S25195
S25418
M67753
N72062
S25499

R32981
S25207
S25419
M67764
N72126
S25500

R32990
S25208
S25421
M67765
N72152
S25501

R32994
S25221
S25422
M67784
N72162
S25502

R33000
S25229
S25430
M67791
N72207
S25505

R33004
S25238
S25437
M67792
N72216
S25506

R33040
S25246
S25439
M67793
N72219
S25507

R33055
S25248
S25449
M67794
N72242
S25508

R33059
S25250
R33186
M67795
P66693
S25509

R33077S25256
S25528
M67796
P66695
S25514

R33080
S25262

M67797
P66696
S25529

R33082
S25268

M67798
P66698
S25532

R33086
S25278

M67799
P66699
S25541

R33087
S25287

M67800
P66737
S25543

R33089
S25288

M67801
P66753
S25544

R33090

(ii) Thereafter, re-inspect at intervals that correspond to the selected inspection interval.
(3) If a fan hub is identified in both Table 2 of this AD and Appendix A of PW ASB No. A6272, dated September 24, 1996, inspect in accordance with paragraph (f)(1) or (f)(2) of this AD, whichever occurs first.
(4) For fan hubs with S/Ns not listed in Table 2 of this AD or in Appendix A of PW ASB No. A6272, dated September 24, 1996, after the fan hub has accumulated more than 4,000 CSN, inspect the next time the fan hub is in the shop at piece-part level, but not to exceed 10,000 CIS after March 5, 1997.
(5) Prior to further flight, remove from service fan hubs found cracked or that exceed the bushed hole acceptance criteria described in PW ASB No. A6272, dated September 24, 1996.

Reporting Requirements

(g) Report findings of cracked fan hubs using Accomplishment Instructions, Paragraph F, of Attachment 1 to PW ASB No. A6272, dated September 24, 1996, within 48 hours to Kevin Dickert, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; telephone (781) 238- 7117; fax (781) 238-7199; e-mail: kevin.dickert@faa.gov.
(h) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the reporting requirements and assigned OMB control number 2120-0056.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(i) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, has the authority to approve alternative methods of compliance for this AD if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Alternate methods of compliance approved in accordance with AD 97-17-04 are approved as alternate methods of compliance with this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

(j) You must use the Pratt & Whitney service information specified in Table 3 of this AD to perform the inspections required by this AD. The Director of the Federal Register previously approved the incorporation by reference of the documents listed in the following Table 3 as of March 5, 1997 (62 FR 4902) in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Contact Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; telephone (860) 565-8770; fax (860) 565-4503, for a copy of this service information. You may review copies at the FAA, New England Region, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA; or at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http:// www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

Table 3--Incorporation by Reference

Service Information
Page
Revision
Date
Alert Service BulletinNo. A6272
Total Pages: 21
All
Original
September 24, 1996
Non-Destruct Inspection Procedure No. NDIP-892
Total Pages: 30
All
A
September 15, 1996
Attachment I
Total Pages: 4
All
A
September 15, 1996

The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with a proposed AD. The proposed AD applies to Pratt & Whitney JT8D- 209, -217, -217C, and -219 turbofan engines with front compressor front hub (fan hub), P/N 5000501-01 installed. We published the proposed AD in the Federal Register on December 21, 2009 (74 FR 67831). That action proposed to require cleaning the front compressor front hubs (fan hubs), initial and repetitive ECI and FPI of tierod and counterweight holes for cracks, removal of bushings, cleaning and ECI and FPI of bushed holes for cracks and, if necessary, replacement with serviceable parts. That action also proposed to eliminate the monthly reporting of the number of completed inspections.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http:// www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Operations office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, theregulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street address for the Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is provided in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

Comments

We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the development of this AD. We have considered the one comment received. The commenter supports the proposal.

Conclusion

We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the comment received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD revision will affect 1,170 JT8D-209, -217, -217C, and -219 turbofan engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We estimate that it will take four work-hours per engine to complete one inspection of the fan hub at piece-part exposure. The average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $374,400.

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

We have determined that 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); and
(3) 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.
We prepared a summary of the costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary at the address listed under ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

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]

2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by removing Amendment 39-10106 (62 FR 45152, August 26, 1997), and by adding a new airworthiness directive, Amendment 39-16237, to read as follows:

You can get the service information identified in this AD from Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; telephone (860) 565-8770; fax (860) 565-4503.
The Docket Operations office is located at Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590- 0001.

Kevin Dickert, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: kevin.dickert@faa.gov; telephone (781) 238-7117; fax (781) 238-7199.