SAIB NE-01-42

SPECIAL

AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION

BULLETIN Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration No. NE-01-42 September 25, 2001 We post SAIBs on the internet at "av-info.faa.gov" This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

Introduction This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts you, Operators, Repair Stations, and the Principal Maintenance Inspectors of a maintenance escape, that resulted in the wrong parts being reinstalled in Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1, 1A, -7, -7A, -7B, -9, -9A, -11, -15, -15A, -17, -17A, -17R, -17AR (Standard JT8D) engines which resulted in non-compliance with airworthiness directive (AD) requirements.

Background ADs 97-19-14 and 94-20-09 require installation of containment hardware to the low pressure turbine (LPT) section of Standard JT8D engines. Among other things, the ADs require a material change of the LPT flange nuts in order to provide a stronger flange and improved containment capability in the event of an LPT blade failure. After initially complying with the AD requirements, some operators, at subsequent shop visits, have inadvertently installed the wrong LPT flange nuts, making them non-compliant with the AD. The problem arose because the original hardware needed to comply with the AD was sold as a kit.

The kit included the new nut option P/N 4023466. However, because of its small size, the P/N was not marked on the nut but was shipped in an appropriately labeled package. P/N 4023466 is identical in appearance to the nut option that it replaces, P/N 375095. While the initial compliance was easy to track because of the packaging, at subsequent shop visits the unmarked parts were not properly segregated from the parts with similar appearance but weaker material. To avoid future problems, the manufacturer has agreed to change the design of the nut to include a P/N marking , however, operators and repair stations need to be sensitive to this issue for the current engines in service.

Recommendations By issuing this Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, the FAA is alerting all Operators, Repair Stations and their respective PMI's of an issue associated with maintaining proper AD compliance.

We highly recommend that you perform the following:

a. Operators and Repair Stations should review their teardown and rebuild procedures regarding compliance with AD's that require small unmarked parts to be installed such that the correct parts are reinstalled at subsequent rebuilds. These procedures should include some methods to package and identify the AD hardware during disassembly for subsequent reinstallation.

b. Operators who find that their engines have experienced the same situation that is described above should develop a field management plan to correct the problem and submit it through their PMI's to the Engine Certification Office for alternate method of compliance approval.

For Further Information Contact Christopher Spinney, FAA Engine and Propeller Directorate, Engine Certification Office, ANE-142, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299, telephone: (781) 238-7175, e-mail: christopher.spinney@faa.gov