[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 66 (Friday, April 5, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20503-20505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07934]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0197; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-09-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. Turboprop 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt 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 proposed AD was prompted by reports of fractures of the 1st stage 
power turbine (PT) blade. This proposed AD would require inspection of 
the 1st 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 proposing this AD to prevent fracture of the 1st 
stage PT blade, possible engine fire, and damage to the airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 4, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200

[[Page 20504]]

New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    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; Web site: 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 proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Operations office (phone: 800-647-5527) is the 
same as the Mail address 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: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2013-0197; 
Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-09-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD based on those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact 
with FAA personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search 
function of the Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any 
of our dockets, including, if provided, the name of the individual who 
sent the comment (or signed the comment on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review the DOT's complete Privacy 
Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 
FR 19477-78).

Discussion

    Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada, has 
issued Canada Airworthiness Directive CF-2013-02, dated January 22, 
2013, a Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information (referred to 
after this as ``the MCAI''), 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.

This proposed AD would require inspection of the blades for shrinkage 
porosity and replacement with blades eligible for installation for 
those blades that fail the inspection.
    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    P&WC has issued Alert Service Bulletin No. PW100-72-21823, Revision 
3, dated March 8, 2013. The actions described in this service 
information are intended to correct the unsafe condition identified in 
the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of Canada 
and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our 
bilateral agreement with Canada, they have notified us of the unsafe 
condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced 
above. We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all information 
provided by Canada and determined the unsafe condition exists and is 
likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design. 
This proposed AD would require inspection of the 1st stage PT blades 
and the removal from service of those blades that fail the inspection 
or their replacement with blades eligible for installation.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect about 540 engines 
installed on U.S. airplanes. We also estimate that it would take about 
1.5 hours per engine to perform the inspection or replacement required 
by this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 per hour. We 
estimate that 25% of the engines inspected would fail at least one 1st 
stage PT blade. If the 1st stage PT blade fails the inspection, a 
replacement blade would cost $6,000. Based on these figures, we 
estimate the cost of the inspection or replacement to U.S. operators to 
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 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. 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

[[Page 20505]]

    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 proposed 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.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 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 AD:

Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (formerly Pratt & Whitney Canada Inc.): 
Docket No. FAA-2013-0197; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-09-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by June 4, 2013.

(b) Affected Airworthiness Directives (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 1st 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 1st stage PT 
blade. We are issuing this AD to prevent fracture of the 1st 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 1st stage PT blade with a blade 
eligible for installation; or
    (2) Perform a one-time X-ray inspection of the affected 1st 
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 1st 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 1st 
stage PT blades using earlier versions of P&WC Service Bulletin No. 
PW100-72-21823, Revision 3, dated March 8, 2013, 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: 
[email protected].
    (2) Refer to Transport Canada Airworthiness Directive CF-2013-
02, dated January 22, 2013, and P&WC Service Bulletin No. PW100-72-
21823, Revision 3, dated March 8, 2012, for related information.
    (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; Web site: 
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.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on March 29, 2013.
Colleen M. D'Alessandro,
Assistant Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-07934 Filed 4-4-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P