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Airworthiness Directive 97-25-10

recurring
Official AD 97-25-10 · FR doc 97-31965 · 1997-12-08 · turbine engine

Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney JT9D Series Turbofan Engines

What this AD requires

This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Pratt & Whitney JT9D series turbofan engines, that currently requires initial and repetitive eddy current inspection (ECI) or fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) for cracks in first stage high pressure turbine (HPT) disk cooling air holes. This amendment requires initial and repetitive FPI for cracks in cooling air holes of additional first stage HPT disks, and replacement with serviceable parts. In addition, this amendment requires initial and repetitive FPI for cracks in tie bolt holes of certain other affected second stage HPT disks installed in PW JT9D series turbofan engines. This amendment is prompted by reports of a cracked cooling air hole on one first stage HPT disk, and a cracked tie bolt hole on one second stage HPT disk. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent turbine disk failure due to cooling air hole or tie bolt hole cracking, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the aircraft.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 97-25-10 applies to

MakesPratt & Whitney
ModelsJT9D-59A, JT9D-70A, JT9D-7Q, JT9D-7Q3, JT9D
Part-conditional — 768001, 792701, 812901, 819801, 840501, 840401, 840701, 840601.

Applies to first-stage high pressure turbine (HPT) disks bearing the listed part numbers when installed in PW JT9D-59A, -70A, -7Q, and -7Q3 engines, regardless of prior modification/alteration/repair (AMOC required per paragraph (d) if such work affects compliance). To prevent turbine disk failure due to cooling hole or tie bolt hole cracking (which could cause uncontained engine failure and aircraft damage): requires fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) or eddy current inspection (ECI) of all 40 cooling air holes per PW Turbojet Engine Standard Practices Manual P/N 585005, Ch/Sec 70-33, SPOP 84; inspection thresholds/intervals vary based on cycles since new (CSN) or cycles in service since reoperation per PW SB 5815 Rev 2 (or prior revisions), or since prior FPI/ECI per PW SB 5744 Rev 3 (or prior revisions) or the applicable engine manual.

Whether AD 97-25-10 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.

How AD compliance is recorded

A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:

Method of compliance — The specific action taken (inspected, replaced, modified) and to what revision.
Date — When the work was done.
Aircraft time — Total time in service / tach at compliance — how recurring next-due is computed.
Signature & certificate — The A&P/IA who returned it to service, with certificate number.
Is AD 97-25-10 complied with on your aircraft?

Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.

Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)

Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.