Airworthiness Directives; Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C Series Turbofan Engines

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C series turbofan engines. This AD requires revisions to the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C Engine Manuals to include required enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. This AD also requires an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate these inspection procedures. Air carriers with an approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program will be allowed to either maintain the records showing the current status of the inspections using the record keeping system specified in the air carrier's maintenance manual or establish an acceptable alternate method of record keeping. This amendment is prompted by an FAA study of in- service events involving uncontained failures of critical rotating engine parts that indicated the need for improved inspections. The improved inspections are needed to identify those critical rotating parts with conditions that, if allowed to continue in service, could result in uncontained failures. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.