AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.
Pratt and Whitney Turbine Engines - JT8D Series
AD/JT8D/39 Fuel Pump Inspection and Modification 5/2002
DM
Applicability: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1, -1A, -7, -7A, - 7B, -9, 9A, -11, -15 and –15A series turbofan engines.
Requirement: 1. Carry out the technical requirements of FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2000- 22-06 amendment 39-11952 or, as an alternative
2. Carry out the requirements of Pratt and Whitney Alert Service Bulletin JT8D A6381 Revision 1 dated 5 November, 2001.
Compliance: Requirement 1: At the Time in Service (TIS) intervals stated in the FAA AD, calculated from 4 December 2000.
Requirement 2: At the TIS intervals stated in Pratt and Whitney Alert Service Bulletin JT8D A6381 Revision 1 dated 5 November, 2001, calculated from 4 December 2000 (the effective date of FAA AD 2000-22-06).
Should any of the TIS intervals stated in either of the above documents be exceeded at the effective date of this AD, the procedures and maintenance actions required at those intervals shall be carried out before further flight.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 10 April 2002.
Pratt and Whitney Turbine Engines - JT8D Series
AD/JT8D/38 (Continued)
Background: Wear of the fuel pump control shaft spline has caused the fuel control to default to zero speed protection mode, which automatically sets the fuel flow to operate the engine at approximately 90% - 95% N2. As the engine in this mode will not respond to throttle movement, the pilot must shutdown the engine. In one case the pilot did not shutdown the engine, which resulted in asymmetric thrust and inability to control the aircraft on take-off. The take-off was aborted and the aircraft departed the runway and was subsequently destroyed by fire. All passengers were evacuated safely. The requirements of this Directive are intended to prevent loss of engine control by modification and repetitive inspections of the fuel pump assemblies.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 26 March 2002
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 10 April 2002.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued the Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Pratt & Whitney Turbine Engines JT8D Series AD/JT8D/39 on 10 April 2002, under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998. This AD was introduced to address the problem of wear on the fuel pump control shaft spline in certain Pratt & Whitney JT8D Series turbofan engines, which had caused the fuel control to default to zero speed protection mode. This condition had led to loss of engine control and resulted in an aborted take-off, where the aircraft departed the runway and was subsequently destroyed by fire. The policy objective of the AD is to prevent such unsafe conditions by mandating specific actions for inspection and modification of the fuel pump assemblies.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) applies specifically to Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1, -1A, -7, -7A, -7B, -9, 9A, -11, -15, and -15A series turbofan engines. This legislation mandates that the outlined technical requirements be met to address the identified safety concern regarding the wear of the fuel pump control shaft spline, which has caused the fuel control to default to zero speed protection mode, leading to potential loss of engine control. The directive requires compliance with either the technical requirements set out in the FAA Airworthiness Directive 2000-22-06 amendment 39-11952 or the Pratt and Whitney Alert Service Bulletin JT8D A6381 Revision 1 dated 5 November 2001, depending on which is followed by the operator. The compliance with these requirements is to be carried out at the Time in Service (TIS) intervals specified in the respective documents, calculated from 4 December 2000, the effective date of FAA AD 2000-22-06. This Airworthiness Directive, issued on 26 March 2002 and becoming effective on 10 April 2002, applies nationally across Australia and is applicable to all aircraft and aeronautical products within the specified category.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998 mandates specific actions for Pratt & Whitney JT8D series turbofan engines to correct an identified unsafe condition. The applicability section specifies that this directive applies to Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1, -1A, -7, -7A, -7B, -9, 9A, -11, -15, and -15A series turbofan engines (section 5). The requirement section outlines two options for compliance: either carry out the technical requirements of FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2000-22-06 amendment 39-11952 or the requirements of Pratt and Whitney Alert Service Bulletin JT8D A6381 Revision 1 dated 5 November 2001 (section 6). The compliance section states that these actions must be carried out at the Time in Service (TIS) intervals specified in the respective documents, calculated from 4 December 2000 (section 7). If any TIS intervals are exceeded at the effective date of this AD, the required procedures and maintenance actions must be performed before further flight (section 7).
The obligations imposed by this AD require the operators and maintainers of Pratt & Whitney JT8D series engines to adhere to the specified technical requirements or bulletin instructions. They must ensure that the fuel pump control shaft spline is inspected and modified or maintained as per the FAA AD or the Pratt and Whitney Alert Service Bulletin. These requirements are critical to preventing the fuel control from defaulting to zero speed protection mode, which can lead to loss of engine control and potentially catastrophic outcomes. Operators must calculate the TIS intervals from the specified effective date and perform the required maintenance actions at these intervals to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of the aircraft.
Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive can lead to serious consequences. Under CAR 1998, non-compliance may result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, which can prevent it from being operated. Furthermore, this non-compliance could potentially lead to serious safety incidents, including loss of engine control during critical phases of flight, which could result in accidents. The AD clearly states that if any of the specified TIS intervals are exceeded at the effective date of the directive, the necessary maintenance actions must be undertaken before further flight. There are no explicitly stated penalties in the AD itself, but non-compliance with CAR 1998 can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, including fines and potential criminal charges if the non-compliance results in an accident or serious incident.