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contains regulatory documents having general

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Rules and Regulations Federal Register

49109 

Vol. 78, No. 156 

Tuesday, August 13, 2013 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0197; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–NE–09–AD; Amendment 39– 

17524; AD 2013–15–08] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & 

Whitney Canada Corp. Turboprop 

Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) 

PW118A, PW118B, PW119B, PW119C, 

PW123, PW123B, PW123C, PW123D, 

PW123E, PW123AF, PW124B, PW125B, 

PW126A, PW127, PW127E, PW127F, 

PW127G, and PW127M turboprop 

engines. This AD was prompted by 

reports of fractures of the first-stage 

power turbine (PT) blade. This AD 

requires inspection of the first-stage PT 

blades and the removal from service of 

those blades that fail the inspection or 

their replacement with blades eligible 

for installation. We are issuing this AD 

to prevent fracture of the first-stage PT 

blade, possible engine fire, and damage 

to the airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

September 17, 2013. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of September 17, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: 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. 

For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Pratt & Whitney Canada 

Corp., 1000 Marie-Victorin, Longueuil, 

Quebec, Canada, J4G 1A1; phone: 800– 

268–8000; fax: 450–647–2888; Internet: 

www.pwc.ca. You may view this service 

information at the FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 781–238–7125. 

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, the Mandatory 

Continuing Airworthiness Information 

(MCAI), the regulatory evaluation, any 

comments received, and other 

information. The street address for the 

Docket Operations office (phone: 800– 

647–5527) is provided in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Frederick Zink, Aerospace Engineer, 

Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine 

& Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

phone: 781–238–7779; fax: 781–238– 

7199; email: frederick.zink@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to include an AD that would 

apply to the specified products. The 

NPRM was published in the Federal 

Register on April 5, 2013 (78 FR 20503). 

The NPRM proposed to correct an 

unsafe condition for the specified 

products. The MCAI states: 

There have been various reported incidents 

of P&WC PW100 series engine failures 

caused by the fracturing of the 1st Stage 

Power turbine (PT1) blade. Some of the above 

cases have resulted in engine fires. Further 

investigation by P&WC has traced the 

affected PT1 blade failures to undetected 

shrinkage porosity of unacceptable levels 

within the blade casting. Service experience 

indicates that the blades manufactured 

between 2005 and 2008 exhibit a higher 

propensity for unacceptable levels of 

shrinkage porosity. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. The 

following presents the comment 

received on the proposal (78 FR 20503, 

April 5, 2013) and the FAA’s response 

to the comment. 

Request To Include Additional Engine 

Model 

Empire Airlines, Inc. (EA) suggested 

that the PW121 model engine should be 

included in the proposed AD. EA 

reported that an ATR 42 airplane 

experienced what was believed to be an 

engine fire on the No. 1, PW121, engine. 

The engine was shut down and the 

aircraft landed safely. An engine 

teardown report revealed that the 

fracture of one low-pressure turbine 

(LPT) blade near the platform was by 

fatigue propagation from the trailing 

edge until final fracture by overload. 

The fatigue fracture most likely 

originated at the trailing edge tip from 

a casting anomaly that also resulted in 

the formation of numerous cracks. The 

reason for this request, although not 

specifically stated, is to add the PW121 

model engine to the applicability of this 

AD. 

We do not agree. The EA engine LPT 

blade failure incident was not due to the 

micro porosity issue which is the 

subject of this AD. The smaller PW121 

engine stage 1 PT blades are under 

considerably less stress than the larger 

PW100 family of engines. Therefore, 

there is a lower probability of similar 

failures as seen on the larger PW100 

engine series. We did not change the 

AD. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the available data, 

including the comment received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting this AD 

as proposed. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects about 

540 engines installed on airplanes of 

U.S. registry. We also estimate that it 

will take about 1.5 hours per engine to 

perform the inspection or replacement 

required by this AD. The average labor 

rate is $85 per hour. We estimate that 

25% of the engines inspected would fail 

at least one first-stage PT blade. If the 

first-stage PT blade fails the inspection, 

a replacement blade would cost $6,000. 


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49110 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 156 / Tuesday, August 13, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

Based on these figures, we estimate the 

cost of the inspection or replacement to 

U.S. operators will be $878,850. 

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 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 this AD: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

(2) Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under 

the DOT Regulatory Policies and 

Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 

1979), 

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska to the extent that it justifies 

making a regulatory distinction, 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. 

We prepared a regulatory evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this AD and placed it in the AD docket. 

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 FAA 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. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new AD: 

2013–15–08 Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.: 

Amendment 39–17524; Docket No. 

FAA–2013–0197; Directorate Identifier 

2013–NE–09–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes 

effective September 17, 2013. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney Canada 

Corp. (P&WC) PW118A, PW118B, PW119B, 

PW119C, PW123, PW123B, PW123C, 

PW123D, PW123E, PW123AF, PW124B, 

PW125B, PW126A, PW127, PW127E, 

PW127F, PW127G, and PW127M turboprop 

engines with a first-stage power turbine (PT) 

blade, part number (P/N) 3120973–01, P/N 

3120983–01, or P/N 3054053–01, installed, 

that has a serial number listed in Table 1 of 

the Appendix of P&WC Service Bulletin No. 

PW100–72–21823, Revision 3, dated March 

8, 2013. 

(d) Reason 

This AD was prompted by reports of 

fractures of the first-stage PT blade. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent fracture of the 

first-stage PT blade, possible engine fire, and 

damage to the airplane. 

(e) Actions and Compliance 

Unless already done, within 60 months 

after the effective date of this AD or when the 

affected PT blades are at module level 

exposure, whichever occurs first, do one of 

the following: 

(1) Replace the affected first-stage PT blade 

with a blade eligible for installation; or 

(2) Perform a one-time X-ray inspection of 

the affected first-stage PT blades, using 

paragraph 3.F.(2) of the Accomplishment 

Instructions of P&WC Service Bulletin No. 

PW100–72–21823, Revision 3, dated March 

8, 2013. 

(f) Installation Prohibition 

After the effective date of this AD, do not 

install into any engine any first-stage PT 

blade that has not passed the inspection 

required by paragraph (e)(2) of this AD. 

(g) Definition 

For the purpose of this AD, module level 

exposure is when the affected engine is 

inducted into the engine shop, the PT 

module is removed from the engine, and 

access is available to the necessary 

subassembly. 

(h) Credit for Previous Actions 

If before the effective date of this AD, you 

inspected the first-stage PT blades using 

P&WC Service Bulletin No. PW100–72– 

21823, Revision 2, dated November 15, 2012 

or earlier versions, you met the inspection 

requirements in paragraph (e) of this AD. 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

The Manager, Engine Certification Office, 

FAA, may approve AMOCs to this AD. Use 

the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to 

make your request. 

(j) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Frederick Zink, Aerospace Engineer, 

Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

phone: 781–238–7779; fax: 781–238–7199; 

email: frederick.zink@faa.gov. 

(2) Refer to Transport Canada AD CF– 

2013–02, dated January 22, 2013, for more 

information. You may examine the AD on the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=FAA-2013-0197-0003. 

(3) P&WC Service Bulletin No. PW100–72– 

21823, Revision 2, dated November 15, 2012, 

or earlier versions, which are not 

incorporated by reference in this AD, can be 

obtained from P&WC, using the contact 

information in paragraph (k)(3) of this AD. 

(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 Canada Service Bulletin 

No. PW100–72–21823, Revision 3, dated 

March 8, 2013. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Pratt & Whitney Canada 

Corp., 1000 Marie-Victorin, Longueuil, 

Quebec, Canada, J4G 1A1; phone: 800–268– 

8000; fax: 450–647–2888; Internet: 

www.pwc.ca. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 

12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, 

MA. For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call 781–238–7125. 

(5) You may view this service information 

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/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

July 19, 2013. 

Colleen M. D’Alessandro, 

Assistant Manager, Engine & Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–19428 Filed 8–12–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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