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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2016-9418; Directorate Identifier 2016-NE-23-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International Inc. Turboprop
and Turboshaft Engines
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for
certain Honeywell International Inc. (Honeywell) TPE331 turboprop and
TSE331 turboshaft engines. This proposed AD was prompted by reports
that combustion chamber case assemblies have cracked and ruptured. This
proposed AD would require inspection of the affected combustion chamber
case assembly, replacement of those assemblies found cracked, and
removal of affected assemblies on certain TPE331 engines. We are
proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 5,
2017.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in
14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590.
Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Honeywell
International Inc., 111 S 34th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034-2802; phone:
800-601-3099; Internet: https://myaerospace.honeywell.com/wps/portal/
!ut/. You may view this service information at the FAA, Engine &
Propeller Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA. For
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 781-
238-7125.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.
gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-9418;
or in person at the Docket Management Facility between 9 a.m. and
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket
contains this proposed AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments
received, and other information. The street address for the Docket
Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will
be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Costa, Aerospace Engineer,
Los
Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, Transport Airplane
Directorate, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90712-4137; phone: 562-
627-5246; fax: 562-627-5210; email: joseph.costa@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2016-9418;
Directorate Identifier 2016-NE-23-AD" at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposed AD because of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive about this proposed AD.
Discussion
We have received reports of three accidents involving combustion
chamber case assembly ruptures. Investigations have shown numerous
cracked combustion chamber case assemblies resulting from high stresses
in the as-designed weld joints and contributing factors due to repair
weld quality, poor maintenance and inspection practices, and cycles-in-
service. From 1979 to 2016, twenty-four of these cracked combustion
chamber case assemblies have propagated to rupture. This condition, if
not corrected, could result in failure of the combustion chamber case
assembly, in-flight shutdown, and reduced control of the airplane.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
We reviewed Honeywell Service Bulletin (SB) TPE331-72-2178,
Revision 0, dated May 3, 2011. The SB describes procedures for
inspection and removal of the affected combustion chamber case
assemblies. This service information is reasonably available because
the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of
business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.
Other Related Service Information
Honeywell has also issued SBs TPE331-72-2228, Revision 0, dated
June 12, 2014; TPE331-72-2230, Revision 0, dated June 19, 2014; TPE331-
72-2218, Revision 1, dated July 13, 2016; TPE331-72-2244, Revision 1,
dated July 20, 2016; TPE331-72-2235, Revision 1, dated July 21, 2016;
TPE331-72-2281, Revision 0, dated July 22, 2016; TPE331-72-2294,
Revision 0, dated December 22, 2016; and TSE331-72-2245, Revision 0,
dated November 11, 2016. These SBs provide guidance on replacement of
the affected combustion chamber case assemblies.
FAA's Determination
We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.
Proposed AD Requirements
This proposed AD would require inspection, replacement of the
affected combustion chamber case assemblies, and removal of affected
assemblies on certain TPE331 turboprop engines.
Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information
This AD proposes inspection and replacement of high-stressed
combustion chamber case assemblies and those chamber case assemblies
found cracked at scheduled routine inspections. Honeywell SBs TPE331-
72-2228, Revision 0, dated June 12, 2014; TPE331-72-2230, Revision 0,
dated June 19, 2014; TPE331-72-2218, Revision 1, dated July 13, 2016;
TPE331-72-2244, Revision 1, dated July 20, 2016; TPE331-72-2235,
Revision 1, dated July 21, 2016; TPE331-72-2281, Revision 0, dated July
22, 2016; TPE331-72-2294, Revision 0, dated December 22, 2016; and
TSE331-72-2245, Revision 0, dated November 11, 2016, recommend the
removal and replacement of the combustion chamber case assembly at next
removal from the engine, but no later than March 31, 2021 or December
31, 2021, depending on the respective engine.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this proposed AD affects 5,644 engines installed
on airplanes of U.S. registry.
We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
| Action |
Labor cost |
Parts cost |
Cost per product |
Cost on U.S. operators |
| On-wing inspection |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
$0 |
$85 per inspection |
$479,740 per inspection |
We estimate the following costs to
do any necessary replacements
that would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection.
We estimate that 158 engines will need this replacement during the
first year of inspection.
On-Condition Costs
| Action |
Labor cost |
Parts cost |
Cost per product |
| Replacement of the combustion
chamber assembly |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
$15,000 |
$15,085 |
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.
We are 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
We determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 proposed
regulation:
(1) Is not a "significant regulatory action" under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Is not a "significant rule" under the DOT Regulatory Policies
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),
(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska to the extent
that it justifies making a regulatory distinction, and
(4) 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.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
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]
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive (AD):
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