{"id":"F2009L03434","name":"AD/PW4000/13 - Fan Blade","slug":"ad-pw4000-13-fan-blade","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":141046,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2009L03434-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Pratt and Whitney Turbine Engines - PW40","sectionType":"division","heading":"Pratt and Whitney Turbine Engines - PW4000 Series","content":"### Pratt and Whitney Turbine Engines - PW4000 Series\n\n| AD/PW4000/13 | Fan Blade | 10/2009 |\n| ------------ | --------- | ------- |\n\n| Applicability: | Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4164 and PW4168 series turbofan engines installed on but not limited to Airbus Industrie A330 series aircraft.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |\n| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement:   | Install a new or a modified fan blade assembly, in accordance with the requirements of PW SB No. PW4G-100-72-92, dated 24 April 1997.Note: FAA AD 97-11-06 Amdt 39-10035 dated 11 June 1997 refers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |\n| Compliance:    | Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, unless previously accomplished.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |\n|                | This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 24 September 2009.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |\n| Background:    | The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received a report of a high level of N1 rotor imbalance on a Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4164/PW4168 series turbofan engine during a fan blade out test. The high N1 rotor imbalance resulted from the loss of several fan blades after fan blade, Part Number (P/N) 55A221, was intentionally released for test purposes. This high imbalance of the N1 rotor also caused liberation of the fan blade containment system and loss of structural support to the engine inlet cowl. In revenue service, failure of the fan blade near the root attachment could be caused by metal fatigue. This condition, if not corrected, could result in fan blade failure and separation at the root section, which could result in high N1 rotor imbalance, and liberation of the fan containment system, which can hazard the aircraft. |\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nJames Coyne  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n12 August 2009","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/PW4000/13","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/PW4000/13","content":"## AD/PW4000/13","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Fan Blade","sectionType":"part","heading":"Fan Blade","content":"## Fan Blade","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"10/2009","sectionType":"part","heading":"10/2009","content":"## 10/2009","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This AD maintains its original narrow scope — addressing a specific safety defect in specific engine models. It has not expanded beyond its original purpose of mandating a fan blade modification to prevent catastrophic engine failure."},"complexity_factors":["Single, specific technical requirement (install modified fan blade assembly)","Only one defined term (N1 rotor - the main engine shaft and fan assembly)","No nested exceptions or conditional logic","Short document (approximately 250 words of substantive content)","Single cross-reference to manufacturer service bulletin and FAA AD","Clear, unambiguous compliance deadline (30 days)"],"plain_english_summary":"This CASA Airworthiness Directive mandates that operators of Pratt & Whitney PW4164 and PW4168 engines (commonly fitted to Airbus A330s) install new or modified fan blade assemblies per Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin PW4G-100-72-92. It addresses a metal‑fatigue failure mode where a detached fan blade can unbalance the rotor, defeat containment and eject parts — a potentially catastrophic safety risk. Compliance was required within 30 days of 24 September 2009."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The AD makes the corrective action in Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin PW4G-100-72-92 mandatory for the specified PW4164/PW4168 engines and references the related FAA AD. It does not expand the technical remedy beyond the SB; applicability language is broad but the AD remains aligned with the SB/FAA action."},"complexity_factors":["Safety‑critical technical work: replacement of fan blade assembly that affects rotor balance and containment (Background; Requirement).","Short mandatory compliance window (30 days) increasing logistical and operational pressure (Compliance).","Cross‑references to a manufacturer Service Bulletin and an FAA AD, requiring coordination across regulatory and OEM documentation (Requirement; Note).","Applicability wording ('installed on but not limited to') creates potential ambiguity about affected airframes and fleet scope (Applicability).","Potential parts availability and maintenance resource constraints given the SB dates and part numbers referenced (Requirement; Background).","Consequences of non‑compliance are safety risks rather than merely administrative, raising inspection, recordkeeping and certification stakes (Background)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Directive requires replacement of the fan blade assembly on Pratt & Whitney PW4164 and PW4168 engines by installing the new or modified assembly specified in Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin PW4G-100-72-92 (24 Apr 1997). Operators (including but not limited to Airbus A330 operators) must complete the change within 30 days; the measure responds to reported fan‑blade root fatigue that can cause rotor imbalance, containment failure and a hazard to the aircraft, so operators bear parts, maintenance and scheduling costs."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-pw4000-13-fan-blade","history":"/api/acts/ad-pw4000-13-fan-blade/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-pw4000-13-fan-blade/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-pw4000-13-fan-blade/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-pw4000-13-fan-blade/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-pw4000-13-fan-blade/documents"}}