[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 53 (Friday, March 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 14641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6700]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Proposed Advisory Circular; Instructions for Continued 
Airworthiness: Focused Inspection of Safety Critical Turbine Engine 
Parts at Piece-Part Opportunity

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed advisory circular and 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of draft Advisory 
Circular (AC) No. 33.4-2, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness: 
Focused Inspection of Safety Critical Turbine Engine Parts at Piece-
Part Opportunity.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 16, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments on the proposed AC to the Federal Aviation 
Administration, Attn: Engine and Propeller Standards Staff, ANE-110, 
Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA, 01803-5299.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Liptak, Engine and Propeller 
Standards Staff, ANE-110, at the above address, telephone (781) 238-
7749, fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  

Comments Invited

    A copy of the subject AC may be obtained by contacting the person 
named above under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or by downloading the 
draft AC from the following Internet website: www.faa.gov/avr/air/acs/draftach.htm. Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed 
AC and to submit such written data, views, or arguments as they desire. 
Commenters must identify the subject of the AC and submit comments in 
duplicate to the address specified above. All communications received 
on or before the closing date for comments will be considered by the 
Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 
before issuance of the final AC.

Background

    This proposed AC provides guidance and acceptable methods, but not 
the only methods, that may be used to demonstrate compliance with the 
requirements of 14 CFR 33.4, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness 
(ICA), relating to focused inspections of safety critical turbine 
engine parts. Analysis of ten years of transport aircraft accident and 
incident data shows that the leading turbine engine unsafe condition is 
the uncontained failure of safety critical parts. The failure of safety 
critical parts can present a significant hazard to an aircraft by 
releasing fragments that can penetrate the cabin or fuel tanks, damage 
control surfaces, or sever flammable fluid or hydraulic lines. To 
reduce the occurrence of these incidents, parts and part features most 
critical to safety should be subjected to focused inspections at piece-
part opportunities, using methods that detect flaws that could lead to 
failure.

(Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701-44702, 44704.)

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on March 9, 2000.
David A. Downey,
Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 00-6700 Filed 3-16-00; 8:45 am]
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