Aircraft
Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
2022-23
December 6, 2022
This is information only. Recommendations
aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin advises owners and
operators of Hartzell Propeller, Inc., McCauley Propeller, Sensenich
Propellers, Hamilton Standard, and Hamilton Sundstrand model propellers
that certain propellers may have had incomplete inspections performed
at their last overhaul by Stockton Propeller, Inc. (SPI).
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 FAA received a report from SPI that the outboard section of
airfoils on certain propellers/blades processed by SPI between the
dates of April 22, 2016 to April 22, 2022 did not include an etch and
dye penetrant inspection, and therefore were not accomplished in
accordance with the propeller overhaul manual procedures. To date,
there have been no reported propeller failures or service difficulty
reports associated with the incomplete inspection. However, the FAA
determined that owners and operators of the affected propeller models
should be notified of this issue.
Recommendations
The FAA recommends that owners and operators:
- Review the list of affected blades in the letter from SPI regarding
Blade Quality Escape dated June 8, 2022 to determine if you have a
blade that is included.
- Review maintenance records to check if the affected propeller has
been overhauled or received a full blade inspection subsequent to its
last overhaul at SPI between the dates of April 22, 2016 to April 22,
2022.
- If no subsequent inspection has been performed, return the propeller
to SPI or a properly certificated entity for a full blade inspection at
the earliest opportunity.
- Report findings to Stockton Propeller, Inc., 2478 Wilcox Road,
Stockton, CA 95215; Phone: (209) 982-4000, (800)749-7767; Fax: (209)
982-1240; or report your findings to the Oakland Flight Standards
District Office, 1420 Harbor Bay Parkway, Suite 280c, Alameda, CA
94502-7083; Phone: (510) 864-2930; Fax: (510) 748-9559.
- Report any negative re-inspection results through your normal service difficulty reporting process.
Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement
A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for
failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. The OMB
Control Number for this information collection is 2120-0731. Public
reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be
approximately 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, completing and reviewing the collection of
information. All responses to this collection of information are
voluntary; the nature and extent of confidentiality to be provided, if
any. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect
of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing
this burden to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, Federal
Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX
76177-1524.
For Further Information Contact
Oakland Flight Standards District Office: Andrew Danovaro, Principal
Maintenance Inspector, 1420 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, CA 94502-7083;
Phone: (510) 864-2951; Cell: (510) 363-1604; Fax: (510) 748-9559;
e-mail: andrew.danovaro@faa.gov.
Los Angeles ACOB: Binod Singh, Aerospace Engineer, 3960 Paramount Blvd,
Lakewood, CA 90712; Phone: (562) 627-5228; Fax: (562) 627-5210; e-mail:
binod.singh@faa.gov.