[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 128 (Thursday, July 2, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39829-39831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14259]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 128 / Thursday, July 2, 2020 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 39829]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0395; Project Identifier 2019-NE-11-AD; Amendment 
39-21151; AD 2020-13-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. Turboprop 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PW150A model turboprop 
engines. This AD was prompted by a determination by the manufacturer 
that certain PW150A engine high-pressure (HP) centrifugal impellers may 
exhibit a material microstructure anomaly that has a potential to 
adversely affect the low cycle fatigue characteristics of the part. 
This AD requires replacement of the affected HP centrifugal impellers. 
The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these 
products.

DATES: This AD is effective August 6, 2020.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of August 6, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., 1000 Marie-Victorin, Longueuil, 
Quebec, Canada, J4G 1A1; phone: 800-268-8000; fax: 450-647-2888; 
internet: https://www.pwc.ca. You may view this service information at 
the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 
1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call 781-238-7759. It is also 
available on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching 
for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-0395.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-
0395; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains 
this final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information 
(MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The address for 
Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Caufield, Aerospace Engineer, 
ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 
781-238-7146; fax: 781-238-7199; email: barbara.caufield@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain P&WC PW150A 
turboprop engines. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on June 
24, 2019 (84 FR 29419). The NPRM was prompted by a determination by the 
manufacturer that certain PW150A engine HP centrifugal impellers may 
exhibit a material microstructure anomaly that has a potential to 
adversely affect the low cycle fatigue characteristics of the part. The 
NPRM proposed to require replacement of the affected HP centrifugal 
impellers. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition 
on these products.
    Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation 
authority for Canada, has issued AD CF-2018-12, dated April 27, 2018 
(referred to after this as ``the MCAI''), to address the unsafe 
condition on these products. The MCAI states:

    Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has determined that certain PW150A 
engine HP centrifugal impellers, part number (P/N) 3049127-01, may 
exhibit a material microstructure anomaly which has a potential to 
adversely affect the low cycle fatigue (LCF) characteristics of the 
part, resulting in a lower LCF life than currently published in the 
engine model's Airworthiness Limitations. The identified discrepancy 
was related to specific parts having been exposed to inappropriate 
temperature levels during the manufacturing process.
    To address the subject potential material microstructure 
problem, P&WC issued SB 35331 Initial Issue, dated 16 March 2016, 
and then subsequently Revision 1, dated 3 May 2016, to recommend 
replacement of specific impeller serial numbers prior to the parts 
reaching the determined thresholds. Subsequent to the release of the 
SB, P&WC voluntarily initiated a fleet campaign to achieve this 
objective.
    The actions specified by this [TCCA] AD are to ensure that HP 
centrifugal impellers with this potential material anomaly condition 
are contained in order to prevent severe engine damage and possible 
aeroplane damage caused by an impeller failure.

    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for 
and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-0395.

Comments

    The FAA gave the public the opportunity to participate in 
developing this final rule. The FAA received no comments on the NPRM or 
on the determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

    The FAA reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety 
and the public interest require adopting this final rule as proposed 
except for minor editorial changes. The FAA has determined that these 
minor changes:
     Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM for addressing the unsafe condition; and
     Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed P&WC Service Bulletin (SB) PW150-72-35331, 
Revision No. 1, dated May 3, 2016. The SB describes procedures for the 
replacement of the affected HP centrifugal impeller. This service 
information is reasonably available because the interested parties have 
access to it through their normal course

[[Page 39830]]

of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD affects 20 engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry.
    The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
                Action                         Labor cost           Parts cost        product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace HP centrifugal impeller.......  100 work-hours x $85 per        $201,921        $210,421      $4,208,420
                                         hour = $8,500.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.
    The FAA is 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

    This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 
13132. This AD will 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 AD:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866,
    (2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) 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.

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA amends 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):

2020-13-06 Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.: Amendment 39-21151; Docket 
No. FAA-2019-0395; Project Identifier 2019-NE-11-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective August 6, 2020.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PW150A 
model turboprop engines with a high-pressure (HP) centrifugal 
impeller, part number (P/N) 3049127-01, installed.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 7230, Turbine Engine 
Compressor Section.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a determination by the manufacturer that 
certain HP centrifugal impellers installed on P&WC PW150A model 
turboprop engines may exhibit a material microstructure anomaly that 
has a potential to adversely affect the low cycle fatigue 
characteristics of the part. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent 
failure of a certain HP centrifugal impeller. The unsafe condition, 
if not addressed, could result in uncontained release of the HP 
centrifugal impeller, damage to the engine, and damage to the 
airplane.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Required Actions

    Remove HP centrifugal impeller, P/N 3049127-01, with any serial 
number (S/N) listed in Table 2 of P&WC Service Bulletin (SB) No. 
PW150-72-35331, Revision No. 1, dated May 3, 2016, prior to 
accumulating 8,000 flight cycles since new or within 150 flight 
cycles after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, 
and replace with a part eligible for installation.

(h) Installation Prohibition

    After the effective date of this AD, do not install an HP 
centrifugal impeller, P/N 3049127-01, with any S/N listed in Table 1 
or 2 of P&WC SB No. PW150-72-35331, Revision No. 1, dated May 3, 
2016, onto any engine.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, ECO Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve 
AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your 
principal inspector or local Flight Standards District Office, as 
appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the 
ECO Branch, send it to the attention of the person identified in 
paragraph (j)(1) of this AD. You may email your request to: ANE-AD-AMOC@faa.gov.
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.

(j) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Barbara 
Caufield, Aerospace Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, 
Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7146; fax: 781-238-7199; email: 
barbara.caufield@faa.gov.
    (2) Refer to Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) AD CF-2018-
12, dated April 27, 2018, for more information. You may examine the 
TCCA AD in the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-
2019-0395.

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed 
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) Service Bulletin PW150-
72-35331, Revision No. 1, dated May 3, 2016.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For P&WC service information identified in this AD, contact 
Pratt & Whitney

[[Page 39831]]

Canada Corp., 1000 Marie-Victorin, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, J4G 
1A1; phone: 800-268-8000; fax: 450-647-2888; internet: https://www.pwc.ca.
    (4) You may view this service information at FAA, Airworthiness 
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200 District Avenue, 
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 781-238-7759.
    (5) You may view this service information that is incorporated 
by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at 
NARA, email: fedreg.legal@nara.gov, or go to: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued on June 17, 2020.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-14259 Filed 7-1-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


