DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0544; Project Identifier AD-2021-00642-E;
Amendment 39-21646; AD 2021-14-19]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; International Aero Engines AG Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain International Aero Engines AG (IAE) V2500 model turbofan
engines. This AD was prompted by a review of investigative findings
from an event involving an uncontained failure of a high-pressure
turbine (HPT) 1st-stage disk that resulted in high-energy debris
penetrating the engine cowling. This AD requires performance of an
ultrasonic inspection (USI) of the HPT 1st-stage disk and HPT 2nd-stage
disk and, depending on the results of the inspections, replacement of
the HPT 1st-stage disk or HPT 2nd-stage disk with a part eligible for
installation. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective August 5, 2021.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of August 5, 2021.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain other publications listed in this AD as of July
13, 2021 (86 FR 30380, June 8, 2021).

The FAA must receive comments on this AD by September 7, 2021.

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 https://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 final rule, contact
International Aero Engines AG, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT
06118; phone: (800) 565-0140; email: help24@pw.utc.com;
website: http://fleetcare.pw.utc.com.

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 at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and
locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0544.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0544; 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, any
comments received, and other information. The street address for the
Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alberto Hernandez, Aviation Safety
Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803;
phone: (781) 238-7329; fax: (781) 238-7199; email:
Alberto.J.Hernandez@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On March 18, 2020, an Airbus Model A321-231 airplane, powered by
IAE V2533-A5 model turbofan engines, experienced an uncontained HPT
1st-stage disk failure that resulted in an aborted takeoff. The
uncontained failure of the HPT 1st-stage disk resulted in high-energy
debris penetrating the engine cowling. The FAA published Emergency AD
2020-07-51 on March 21, 2020 (followed by publication in the Federal
Register on April 13, 2020, as a Final Rule, Request for Comments (85
FR 20402)) and AD 2021-01-03 on January 6, 2021 (86 FR 458) to remove
from service HPT 1st-stage and HPT 2nd-stage disks identified as having
the highest risk of failure.

Based on the root cause analysis performed since that event, the
manufacturer identified a population of HPT 1st-stage disks and HPT
2nd-stage disks that require inspection and possible removal from
service. In response, the FAA published AD 2021-11-15 on June 8, 2021
(86 FR 30380) to require performance of a USI on affected HPT 1st-stage
disks and HPT 2nd-stage disks and, depending on the results of the USI,
removal of the affected HPT disks from service. Compliance time for
performance of the USI in AD 2021-11-15 is based on the specific IAE
V2500 model turbofan engine on which the HPT 1st-stage or 2nd-stage
disk is installed and is required to be performed at the next engine
shop visit or between 3,200-6,700 flight cycles (FCs), depending on the
model turbofan engine, after the effective date of the AD, whichever
occurs first.

Based on the review of investigative findings from this March 2020
event, the manufacturer identified a high-risk subpopulation of parts
that require urgent inspection. The FAA, therefore, published Emergency
AD 2021-11-51 on May 21, 2021 (followed by publication in the Federal
Register on July 2, 2021, as a Final Rule, Request for Comments (86 FR
35217)) requiring performance of a USI within 10 FCs on the highest-
risk HPT 1st-stage disks and HPT 2nd-stage disks and, depending on the
results of the USI, removal of the affected HPT disks from service. The
FAA is now publishing this AD to require performance of a USI on the
remaining high-risk subpopulation of affected HPT 1st-stage disks and
HPT 2nd-stage disks and, depending on the results of the USI, removal
of the affected HPT disks from service. Compliance time is between 100
and 620 FCs after the effective date of this AD and is based on the
specific V2500 IAE turbofan engine model on which the affected disks
are, or have been, installed.

This condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained HPT
disk failure, damage to the engine, damage to the airplane, and loss of
the airplane. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products.

FAA's Determination

The FAA is issuing this AD because the agency has determined the
unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in
other products of the same type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Pratt & Whitney (P&W) Special Instruction (SI) No.
112F-21, dated May 24, 2021. The SI identifies the affected HPT 1st-
stage disks and HPT 2nd-stage disks installed on IAE V2522-A5, V2524-
A5, V2525-D5, V2527-A5, V2527E-A5, V2527M-A5, V2528-D5, V2530-A5, and
V2533-A5 model turbofan engines.

The FAA reviewed P&W SI No. 114F-21, dated May 24, 2021. The SI
identifies the affected HPT 2nd-stage disks installed on IAE V2531-E5
model turbofan engines.

The FAA reviewed IAE NMSB No. V2500-ENG-72-0713, Revision 1, dated
January 26, 2021. The NMSB specifies procedures for a USI of the HPT
1st-stage disk and HPT 2nd-stage disk.
The FAA reviewed IAE NMSB No. V2500-E5-72-0015, dated December 15,
2020. The NMSB specifies procedures for a USI of the HPT 1st-stage disk
and HPT 2nd-stage disk.

The Director of the Federal Register approved IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-
72-0713, Revision 1, dated January 26, 2021 and IAE NMSB V2500-E5-72-
0015, dated December 15, 2020, for incorporation by reference as of
July 13, 2021 (86 FR 30380, June 8, 2021). 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
ADDRESSES.

AD Requirements

This AD requires the performance of a USI of the HPT 1st-stage disk
and HPT 2nd-stage disk and, depending on the results of the
inspections, replacement of the HPT 1st-stage disk or HPT 2nd-stage
disk with a part eligible for installation.

Justification for Immediate Adoption and Determination of the Effective Date

Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5
U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and
comment procedures for rules when the agency, for "good cause," finds
that those procedures are "impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to
the public interest." Under this section, an agency, upon finding good
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA
authorizes agencies to make rules effective in less than thirty days,
upon a finding of good cause.

An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of
this AD without providing an opportunity for public comments prior to
adoption. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public
justifies foregoing notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule.

On March 18, 2020, an Airbus Model A321-231 airplane, powered by
IAE V2533-A5 model turbofan engines, experienced an uncontained HPT
1st-stage disk failure that resulted in an aborted takeoff. The
uncontained failure of the HPT 1st-stage disk resulted in high-energy
debris penetrating the engine cowling. Based on a review of
investigative findings performed since that event, the manufacturer has
identified a high-risk population of affected HPT 1st-stage and HPT
2nd-stage disks that are affected by the same unsafe condition and
require USI and, depending on the results of the USI, removal from
service.

The FAA considers the risk of an uncontained HPT disk failure to be
an urgent safety issue. USI of the HPT 1st-stage and 2nd-stage disks
must be accomplished between 100 FCs and 620 FCs after the effective
date of this AD to prevent additional HPT disk failures and maintain an
acceptable level of safety. This unsafe condition, caused by an
uncontained HPT 1st-stage disk and HPT 2nd-stage disk failure, may
result in damage to the engine, damage to the airplane, and loss of the
airplane. Accordingly, notice and opportunity for prior public comment
are impracticable and contrary to the public interest pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B). In addition, the FAA finds that good cause exists
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d) for making this amendment effective in less
than 30 days, for the same reasons the FAA found good cause to forego
notice and comment.

Comments Invited

The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments
about this final rule. Send your comments to an address listed under
ADDRESSES. Include "Docket No. FAA-2021-0544 and Project Identifier
AD-2021-00642-E" at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the final rule, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this final rule because of those comments.

Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each
substantive verbal contact received about this final rule.

Confidential Business Information

CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this AD contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this AD, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as "PROPIN." The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Alberto
Hernandez, Aviation Safety Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District
Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. Any commentary that the FAA receives
which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the
public docket for this rulemaking.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because FAA has determined
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without prior notice and
comment, RFA analysis is not required.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 112 engines installed on
airplanes of U.S. registry.

The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

Estimated Costs

The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary
replacement that would be required based on the results of the
inspection. The agency has no way of determining the number of
aircraft that might need this replacement:

On-Condition Costs

The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate.
According to the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this AD
may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on
affected operators.

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 that this AD:

(1) Is not a "significant regulatory action" under Executive
Order 12866, and

(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.

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

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: