Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-9676 · Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines
Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines
Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4000 series turbofan engines, with thrust reverser, Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) No. SJ514NE, installed on Airbus A300-600 and A310 series aircraft, and thrust reverser, STC No. SE744NE, installed on McDonnell Douglas MD-11 series aircraft. These thrust reversers incorporate aft cascade support frame assemblies, Part Numbers (P/N's) 221-0516-503 and 221-0516-504. Note: This airworthiness directive (AD) applies to each engine with affected thrust reversers identified in the preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the requirements of this AD. For engines with affected thrust reversers that have been modified, altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of this AD is affected, the owner/operator must use the authority provided in paragraph (c) to request approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This approval may address either no action, if the current configuration eliminates the unsafe condition, or different actions necessary to address the unsafe condition described in this AD. Such a request should include an assessment of the effect of the changed configuration on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no case does the presence of any modification, alteration, or repair remove any engine with affected thrust reversers from the applicability of this AD.
This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that is applicable to Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4000 series turbofan engines. This action requires initial and repetitive inspections of the aft cascade support frame assembly of thrust reverser for cracks, and replacement, if necessary, with serviceable parts; or lockout of the thrust reversers. This amendment is prompted by reports of aft cascade support frame assembly failures. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent aft cascade support frame assembly failure due to cracks, which can result in thrust reverser hardware liberation and ejection from the aircraft during thrust reverser operation, which can contaminate the runway with debris, causing an operational hazard to other aircraft during takeoff and landing.
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.
