Service difficulty report · Engine · Boeing 747422

Difficulty date
May 11, 2006
Submitted
May 16, 2006
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N181UA
Make and model
Boeing 747422
Aircraft serial
25278
Aircraft time
63,128 hours, 7,931 cycles
Engine
Pwa PW4056
Engine time
28,900 hours, 3,606 cycles
Part
Engine
Condition
Vibration
Location
Nr 3
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
E, R, J
Precautionary procedure
J, E, A

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

AT FL320, NR 3 ENG HIGH EGT, HIGH VIBES AND HIGH OIL PRESS PER CREW. EGT REACHED 670C. AFTER SHUTDOWN, ENG WINDMILLING, VIBES FELT IN AIRFRAME AND OIL PRESS INDICATES ZERO. SHOP TEARDOWN SHOWED THE ROOT CAUSE TO BE FAILURE OF A STAGE-2 HIGH PRESSURE TURBINE BLADE. THE BLADE HAD FAILED UNDER THE PLATFORM DUE TO STRESS CORROSION CRACKING (SCC). FOUR ADJACENT BLADES SUBSEQUENTLY FRACTURED AT THE PLATFORM CAUSING THE HEAVY VIBRATION. THE STAGE-1 HUB, BLADES, AND ROTATING AIRSEAL HAD TO BE SCRAPPED DUE TO HEAVY RUB. THE SCC FAILED BLADE HAD 19733 HOURS SINCE NEW. INCORPORATING PRATT & WHITNEY SERVICE BULLETIN PW4ENG 712-263.