Aircraft
Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
NE-09-48
August 14, 2009
This is information only. Recommendations
aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you,
(owners, operators, and certificated repair facilities) of any
propeller, or any propeller component parts, repaired, inspected, or
overhauled by Western Aircraft Propeller Service, Inc. (Air Agency
Certificate #FQ6R544N) of potential nonconformities that might exist.
We have received field service difficulty reports concerning two
Hartzell Propeller, Inc. model PHC-C3YF-2UF (S/Ns EB1176 and EB1178)
propellers installed on a Hawker Beechcraft Baron Model E55 airplane.
We evaluated the propellers based on an owner complaint that his
propellers were improperly overhauled. At this time, the airworthiness
concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness
directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(14 CFR) part 39.
Background
The above suspect propellers were removed and sent to another propeller
repair station for evaluation. An FAA Flight Standards Principal
Maintenance Inspector (PMI) witnessed the subsequent teardown of the
two propeller assemblies. During the teardown inspection several
nonconformities were discovered, and the propellers were sent to
Hartzell Propeller, Inc. for further examination. The following are
some of the nonconformities compiled by the FAA PMI from that
examination:
Helicoil “Slimserts” required to be installed at overhaul were not installed in the hub mounting studs.
The blade pitch change knobs
were shot peened without the required quality control preauthorization
from the propeller manufacturer and appeared to have used the wrong
shot peening process.
Protective finish paint was
not Polane Gray as defined in manufacturer’s instructions for continued
airworthiness (ICA), and was easily removed using lacquer thinner.
Pitch change knob bushings were installed in the wrong position, and were installed with an un-approved adhesive.
One hub had damaged threads well beyond tolerances established by the ICA.
One cylinder had damaged threads well beyond tolerances established by the ICA.
EC776 “sealer” was applied in the hub bearing retention radius which has not been required since the early 1990s.
Because of the observed condition
of the propeller assemblies discovered during this inspection, the
Portland Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) performed a focused
repair station facility inspection. The following are some of the
conditions noted during the inspection:
The facility performed
inspections specified by Airworthiness Directives (ADs), and returned
propellers to service, without meeting the applicable nondestructive
inspection (NDI) qualifications required by the AD.
NDI equipment calibrations were not kept current in accordance with the applicable propeller manufacturer’s ICAs.
Employee certifications for NDI Level II requirements were not kept current.
Calibration of tools used to assemble and overhaul propeller components were out of date.
The facility was not qualified to perform shot peening and used an unapproved shot peening process on propeller blades.
The facility performed NDI,
and applied protective chemical conversion coatings on propeller
component parts without meeting the requirements or qualifications
specified in the propeller manufacturer’s ICA. Some of these parts were
installed during overhaul, and some were stocked for resale with FAA
8130-3 forms attached.
Used propeller parts in
stock at the facility were returned to service with FAA 8130-3 forms as
“overhauled,” “reconditioned,” or “inspected” without reference or
traceability to any FAA accepted standards.
The facility did not perform
all the requirements for a propeller overhaul as defined by the
applicable propeller manufacturer’s ICAs, but returned the propeller
assembly to service as “overhauled.”
Recommendations
To prevent potential propeller failures or associated propeller service
difficulties, we recommend that if you have any propeller model or
propeller component part that has had work performed by this propeller
repair station reinspected in accordance with the applicable propeller
manufacturer’s published ICA documentation. If any nonconformities are
discovered, please contact the FAA below and submit a report summary of
the nonconformities. Please include propeller manufacturer’s name,
propeller model, part number (as applicable), serial number, and
applicable aircraft installation information.
Applicable model list: Any propeller manufacturer’s model
installed on any applicable aircraft model that was repaired,
overhauled, or inspected before July 1, 2009, by Western Aircraft
Propeller Service, located in Troutdale, Oregon. (See attached
propeller listing compiled from records obtained from Western Aircraft
Propeller Service and NOTES below for further information).
NOTE 1: THIS LISTING MAY NOT INCLUDE ALL APPLICABLE MODELS.
For the period of January 1, 2007 through June 31, 2009, many work
order numbers in the attached listing sequence are missing, and a
record of their status was not made available to the FAA. For the years
prior to 2007, repair station records were not available to determine
other propellers potentially affected by this SAIB.
NOTE 2: Propellers and propeller components returned to service
by Western Aircraft Propeller Service after July 1, 2009, are not
subject to this SAIB.
For Further Information Contact
Mr. Jay Turnberg, Propeller Specialist, Standards Staff, FAA, Engine
and Propeller Directorate; 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington,
MA 01803; e-mail: jay.turnberg@faa.gov; telephone (781) 238-7116; fax
(781) 238-7199.
For Hartzell Propellers
Mr. Tim Smyth, Senior Propulsion Engineer, Propulsion Branch, FAA,
Chicago Aircraft Certification Office; 2300 East Devon Avenue,
DesPlaines, IL 60018; e-mail: timothy.smyth@faa.gov; telephone (847)
294-7132; fax (847) 294-7834.
Mr. James Delisio, Aerospace Engineer, Propulsion Branch, New York
Aircraft Certification Office; FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410,
Westbury, NY 11590; e-mail: james.deliso@faa.gov; telephone (516)
228-7321; fax (516) 568-2716.
For Hamilton Sundstrand, Avia, Dowty, Hoffmann, or MT Propellers:
Mr. Terry Fahr, Aerospace Engineer, Propulsion Branch, FAA, Boston
Aircraft Certification Office; 12 New England Executive Park,
Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: terry.fahr@faa.gov; telephone (781)
238-7155; fax (781) 238-7170.