[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 76 (Tuesday, April 21, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 22140-22142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08995]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2014-1130; Directorate Identifier 2015-NE-04-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Turbofan 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 all 
Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4164-1D, PW4168-1D, PW4168A-1D and PW4170 
engines, and certain PW4164, PW4168, and PW4168A turbofan engines. This 
proposed AD was prompted by fuel nozzle-to-fuel supply manifold 
interface fuel leaks. This proposed AD would require inspecting fuel 
nozzles for signs of leakage, replacing hardware as required, and 
torqueing to specified requirement. We are proposing this AD to prevent 
fuel leaks which could result in engine fire and damage to the 
airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 22, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     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.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; phone: 860-565-
8770; fax: 860-565-4503. 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 by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2014-
1130; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 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 
Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will 
be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katheryn Malatek, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7747; 
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 NPRM. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2014-1130; 
Directorate Identifier 2015-NE-04-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. We will 
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this 
NPRM because of 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 we 
receive about this NPRM.

Discussion

    We received reports of four fuel nozzle leaks in service and an 
additional six fuel nozzle leaks found during shop visits. The root 
cause is inadequate torque of the fuel nozzle-to-fuel supply manifold 
B-nuts for the temperatures that the fuel nozzles experience. This 
condition, if not corrected, could result in engine fire and damage to 
the airplane.

[[Page 22141]]

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed PW Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. PW4G-100-A73-44, 
dated October 10, 2014. This service information contains information 
regarding fuel nozzle manifold inspection and fuel nozzle-to-fuel 
supply manifold B-nut torque requirements. This service information is 
reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it 
through their normal course of business or see ADDRESSES for other ways 
to access this service information.

FAA's Determination

    We are proposing this NPRM because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This NPRM would require inspecting the fuel nozzle-to-fuel supply 
manifold interface for evidence of leaks and replacing hardware in 
cases where fuel leaks are identified. This NPRM also requires 
torqueing certain B-nuts to the specified requirement.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information

    PW ASB No. PW4G-100-A73-44 uses calendar dates for compliance time. 
This NPRM uses cycles. Using cycles from the effective date of the AD 
supports the intent of the ASB and ensures adequate compliance time 
after the effective date of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect about 72 engines 
installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. The average labor rate is $85 
per hour. We estimate that parts replacement will cost about $1,356 per 
engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this proposed 
AD on U.S. operators to be $391,392.

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
    (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.

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 airworthiness 
directive (AD):

Pratt & Whitney: Docket No. FAA-2014-1130; Directorate Identifier 
2015-NE-04-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by June 22, 2015.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4164-1D, PW4168-
1D, PW4168A-1D and PW4170 engines; and all PW4164, PW4168, and 
PW4168A turbofan engines that have incorporated either PW Service 
Bulletin (SB) No. PW4G-100-72-214, dated December 15, 2011 or PW SB 
No. PW4G-100-72-219, Revision 1, dated October 5, 2011.

(d) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by fuel nozzle-to-fuel supply manifold 
interface fuel leaks. We are issuing this AD to prevent fuel leaks 
which could result in engine fire and damage to the airplane.

(e) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.
    (1) Within 800 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, 
and within every 800 hours since last inspection thereafter, inspect 
all fuel nozzle-to-fuel supply manifold interfaces for evidence of 
fuel leaks, soot, and coke formation. Use the Accomplishment 
Instructions, Part A, of PW Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. PW4G-
100-A73-44, dated October 10, 2014 to do the inspections.
    (2) Replace hardware that fails an inspection. Use the 
Accomplishment Instructions, Part A, of PW ASB No. PW4G-100-A73-44, 
dated October 10, 2014 to do the replacement.

(f) Mandatory Terminating Action

    (1) Inspect all fuel nozzle-to-fuel supply manifold interfaces 
for fuel leaks, soot, and coke formation, replace hardware that 
fails inspection, and re-torque all fuel nozzle-to-fuel supply 
manifold B-nuts as follows:
    (i) For engines with fewer than 1,500 cycles on the effective 
date of this AD, before accumulating another 650 cycles, not to 
exceed 1,900 cycles.
    (ii) For engines with 1,500 cycles or more, but fewer than 2,500 
cycles on the effective date of this AD, before accumulating another 
400 cycles, not to exceed 2,700 cycles.
    (iii) For engines with 2,500 cycles or more on the effective 
date of this AD, before accumulating another 200 cycles.
    (2) Use the Accomplishment Instructions, Parts B through E, of 
PW ASB No. PW4G-100-A73-44, dated October 10, 2014 to do the 
inspection, replacement, and retorqueing.

(g) Definition

    For the purpose of this AD ``cycles'' is defined as cycles since 
new or cycles since the incorporation of PW SB No. PW4G-100-72-214, 
dated December 15, 2011 or SB No. PW4G-100-72-219, Revision 1, dated 
October 5, 2011.

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make your 
request. You may email your request to: [email protected].

[[Page 22142]]

(i) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Katheryn 
Malatek, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, 
Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, 
Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7747; fax: 781-238-7199; email: 
[email protected].
    (2) PW ASB No. PW4G-100-A73-44, dated October 10, 2014, which is 
not incorporated by reference, can be obtained from Pratt & Whitney 
using the contact information in paragraph (j)(3) of this proposed 
rule.
    (3) For service information identified in this proposed rule, 
contact Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; 
phone: 860-565-8770; fax: 860-565-4503.
    (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.


    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on April 10, 2015.
Ann C. Mollica,
Acting Directorate Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-08995 Filed 4-20-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P