Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-16528 · Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines
Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines
This AD applies to the following Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines, with No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube, part number (P/N) 51J041-01, P/N 50J604-01, or P/N 50J924-01, installed:
We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD requires a one-time visual inspection of the No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube, part number (P/N) 51J041-01, P/N 50J604-01, or P/N 50J924-01. Tubes that are found cracked or repaired must be removed from service. This AD also prohibits repaired tubes from being installed. This AD results from one report of a repaired No. 3 bearing oil tube that caused an engine in-flight shutdown, seven reports of repaired No. 3 bearing oil pressure tubes found cracked that led to unscheduled engine removals, and one report of a test cell event from a repaired tube that cracked. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracking of No. 3 bearing oil pressure tubes, which could result in internal oil fire, failure of the high-pressure turbine (HPT) disks, uncontained engine failure, and damage to the airplane.
You are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed the next time the No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube is in the piece-part condition after the effective date of this AD, unless the actions have already been done.
Perform a one-time visual inspection of the exterior of the No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube for cracks and evidence of being repaired.
(1) Remove the tube from service if any cracks are found.
(2) Remove the tube from service if found repaired, or if suspected that the tube was repaired.
(g) After the effective date of this AD, do not install any repaired No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube into any engine.
(h) Guidance on the No. 3 bearing oil pressure tube visual inspection can be found in:
(1) Pratt & Whitney Clean, Inspect, Repair Manual PN 51A357, 72-41-20 for PW4000-94” and PW4000-100” series engines; or
(2) Pratt & Whitney Clean, Inspect, Repair Manual PN 51A750, 72-41-20 for PW4000-112” series engines.
(i) For the purpose of this AD, piece part condition means that the part is completely disassembled from the engine as specified in the disassembly instructions in the manufacturer's engine manual.
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
