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 CASR 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 - JT9D Series
AD/JT9D/39 One-Piece Fan Case Shield 4/2004
Applicability: Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT9D-7R4D, -7R4D1, -7R4E, -7R4E1, -7R4E4, - 7R4G2, and
-7R4H1 turbofan engines with steel fan cases.
Note 1: These engines are installed on, but not limited to, Airbus Industrie A300 and A310, and Boeing 747 and 767 aeroplanes.
Requirement: 1. For PW JT9D-7R4D, -7R4D1, -7R4E, -7R4E1, -7R4E4, and -7R4H1 turbofan engines with steel fan cases that have PW Service Bulletin (SB) 72-312 incorporated, replace fan case shield Part Number (P/N) 802095 with the four- piece fan case shield and install four fan case shield supports. Information on replacing fan case shields and installing fan case shield supports can be found in PW SB JT9D-7R4- 72-583.
2. For PW JT9D-7R4G2 turbofan engines with steel fan cases that have PW SB 72- 88 and PW SB 72-311 incorporated, replace fan case shield P/N 802094 with the four-piece fan case shield and install four fan case shield supports. Information on replacing fan case shields and installing fan case shield supports can be found in Part A of PW SB JT9D-7R4-72-584.
3. For PW JT9D-7R4G2 turbofan engines with steel fan cases that do not have PW SB 72-88 incorporated, but have PW SB 72-311 incorporated, replace fan case shield P/N 802094 with the four-piece fan case shield and install four fan case shield supports. Information on replacing fan case shields and installing fan case shield supports can be found in Part B of PW SB JT9D-7R4-72-584.
Note 2: FAA AD 2004-01-08 Amdt 39-13422 refers.
Compliance: Unless previously accomplished, at the next shop visit but no later than 31 December 2012.
For the purpose of this Directive, a shop visit is defined as separation of the B-flange during in-shop maintenance. Separation of the B-flange in order to replace fan case assemblies for rub strip repairs is not considered a shop visit.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 15 April 2004.
Pratt and Whitney Turbine Engines - JT9D Series
AD/JT9D/39 (continued)
Background: This Directive requires on JT9D-7R4 series turbofan engines with steel fan cases, replacement of the existing one-piece fan case shield with a thicker four-piece fan case shield that will add four fan case shield supports. This Directive is in response to two uncontained full fan blade fracture events that resulted in penetration of the steel fan case and fan case shield. The actions detailed in this Directive are to prevent uncontained fan blade failures, resulting in damage to the aeroplane.
James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 4 March 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 24 March 2004.
Overview
The Airworthiness Directive AD/JT9D/39 was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) on 4 March 2004 and became effective on 15 April 2004. This directive addresses the issue of uncontained full fan blade fractures in Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT9D-7R4 series turbofan engines with steel fan cases, which had previously caused significant damage to aeroplanes due to penetration of the fan case and fan case shield. The primary objective of this directive is to mitigate the risk of such incidents by requiring the replacement of the existing one-piece fan case shield with a more robust four-piece fan case shield that includes additional fan case shield supports. This change aims to prevent future uncontained fan blade failures and enhance the overall airworthiness of affected aircraft.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive AD/JT9D/39 issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) applies specifically to Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4D, -7R4D1, -7R4E, -7R4E1, -7R4E4, -7R4G2, and -7R4H1 turbofan engines equipped with steel fan cases that are installed on various aircraft such as Airbus A300 and A310, and Boeing 747 and 767. The AD mandates that operators of these engines must replace the one-piece fan case shield with a four-piece fan case shield and install additional supports to mitigate the risk of uncontained fan blade failures, which have previously caused significant damage to aircraft. The requirement applies unless the specified modifications have already been carried out. Compliance with the directive must be achieved by the next shop visit, but no later than 31 December 2012. This AD is applicable across the entire Commonwealth of Australia, extending its regulatory reach to ensure uniformity in aircraft safety standards nationwide.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR) applies specifically to Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT9D-7R4D, -7R4D1, -7R4E, -7R4E1, -7R4E4, -7R4G2, and -7R4H1 turbofan engines equipped with steel fan cases (section 2). These engines are commonly installed on Airbus Industrie A300 and A310, and Boeing 747 and 767 aeroplanes. The AD mandates the replacement of specific fan case shields and the installation of additional fan case shield supports in order to address safety concerns related to potential uncontained fan blade failures.
The AD requires certain actions to be taken on the specified engines. For PW JT9D-7R4D, -7R4D1, -7R4E, -7R4E1, -7R4E4, and -7R4H1 engines with PW Service Bulletin (SB) 72-312 incorporated, the one-piece fan case shield P/N 802095 must be replaced with a four-piece fan case shield, and four fan case shield supports must be installed (section 3(1)). Instructions for these actions can be found in PW SB JT9D-7R4-72-583. For PW JT9D-7R4G2 engines with both PW SB 72-88 and PW SB 72-311 incorporated, the one-piece fan case shield P/N 802094 must be replaced with a four-piece fan case shield, and four fan case shield supports must be installed (section 3(2)). Detailed instructions are provided in Part A of PW SB JT9D-7R4-72-584. For PW JT9D-7R4G2 engines with PW SB 72-311 incorporated but not PW SB 72-88, the same replacement and installation actions must be carried out, with instructions found in Part B of PW SB JT9D-7R4-72-584 (section 3(3)).
The AD imposes obligations on the entities it governs, requiring them to replace the specified fan case shields and install additional supports at the next shop visit, but no later than 31 December 2012. A shop visit is defined as the separation of the B-flange during in-shop maintenance, excluding separation for rub strip repairs (section 5). This requirement aims to ensure that the necessary safety measures are implemented to prevent uncontained fan blade failures that could cause damage to the aeroplane.
Failure to comply with the AD may result in legal consequences. However, the specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for non-compliance are not detailed in the AD itself. The AD is effective from 15 April 2004 and was published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 24 March 2004.