Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6 Series Turbofan Engines

This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to General Electric Company (GE) CF6 series turbofan engines, that currently requires initial and repetitive ultrasonic and eddy current inspections of a certain population of high pressure compressor rotor (HPCR) stage 3-9 spools for cracks. This amendment retains the inspection requirements of the current AD, but would accelerate the inspection schedule for parts affected by the current AD, require initial and repetitive inspections of an expanded population of HPCR stage 3-9 spools installed on GE CF6-45/-50/-80A engines, include HPCR stage 3-9 spools installed on GE CF6-80C2 series engines, and require reporting to the FAA the results of inspections that equal or exceed the reject criteria. This amendment is prompted by recent field experience and the associated engineering investigation, which indicate that cracks are likely to develop in a larger population of parts than previously thought. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent HPCR stage 3-9 spool cracking and separation, which can result in an uncontained engine failure and aircraft damage.