AD NUMBER: 2009-08-51
MANUFACTURER: Rolls Royce
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2009-08-51
SUMMARY: This emergency airworthiness directive (AD) 2009-08-51 is sent to all owners and operators of Rolls-Royce Corporation (RRC) AE 3007A series turbofan engines. On September 8, 2008, we issued emergency AD 2008-19-51, that applied to RRC AE 3007A series turbofan engines. That AD required performing initial and repetitive eddy current inspections (ECIs) on high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 2 wheels. That AD resulted from reports of HPT stage 2 wheels that had cracks in the bores of the wheels. We superseded AD 2008-19-51 with AD 2008-26-06 (73 FR 78927, December 24, 2008), which revises the compliance schedule for the initial inspection and clarifies the applicability. This emergency AD results from additional reports of cracks in the HPT stage 2 wheels identified from the required inspections. A revised risk assessment that includes these additional reports indicates we need to require a higher inspection rate. This emergency AD also addresses a group of low utilization engines above 16,350 CSN that might not yet have been inspected. This condition, if not corrected, could result in a possible uncontained failure of the HPT stage 2 wheel and damage to the airplane.

FMI: www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/airworthiness_directives/