Narrative:

Main line engine bearings and seals for the PW4000 engine group are no longer being routed through inspection home shop for receiving inspection prior to going into service. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated these are the main line oil bearings; seals and air seals for the low and high pressure compressor (lpc-hpc); including the low and high pressure turbines (lpt-hpt) sections thrust shafts. For years; his carrier routed these bearings and seals through their receiving inspection program for part serviceability; including part(south) coming in from overhaul vendors. Reporter stated his company has just recently changed the language in their operating procedures manual; removing the requirement to have these bearings and seals inspected by trained; qualified and experienced receiving inspectors. The new policy now implemented; is to have a stores person check all outsourced vendor parts coming in for any damage to the part. Reporter also stated the oil seals are used in these shaft bearing compartments to contain the oil mist and oil spray. If these oil bearings; oil seals and air seals are defective or fail; they cause smoke and fumes to be brought into the cockpit and cabin through the pneumatic bleed ducts and bleed valves on the engines.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ENGINE SHOP INSPECTOR REPORTS THAT MAIN LINE BEARINGS AND SEALS FOR THE P/W 4000 ENG ARE NO LONGER BEING ROUTED THROUGH TO RECEIVE INSPECTION PRIOR TO GOING INTO SERVICE; VIOLATING COMPANY OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES.

Narrative: MAIN LINE ENG BEARINGS AND SEALS FOR THE PW4000 ENG GROUP ARE NO LONGER BEING ROUTED THROUGH INSPECTION HOME SHOP FOR RECEIVING INSPECTION PRIOR TO GOING INTO SVC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THESE ARE THE MAIN LINE OIL BEARINGS; SEALS AND AIR SEALS FOR THE LOW AND HIGH PRESSURE COMPRESSOR (LPC-HPC); INCLUDING THE LOW AND HIGH PRESSURE TURBINES (LPT-HPT) SECTIONS THRUST SHAFTS. FOR YEARS; HIS CARRIER ROUTED THESE BEARINGS AND SEALS THROUGH THEIR RECEIVING INSPECTION PROGRAM FOR PART SERVICEABILITY; INCLUDING PART(S) COMING IN FROM OVERHAUL VENDORS. REPORTER STATED HIS COMPANY HAS JUST RECENTLY CHANGED THE LANGUAGE IN THEIR OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL; REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE THESE BEARINGS AND SEALS INSPECTED BY TRAINED; QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED RECEIVING INSPECTORS. THE NEW POLICY NOW IMPLEMENTED; IS TO HAVE A STORES PERSON CHECK ALL OUTSOURCED VENDOR PARTS COMING IN FOR ANY DAMAGE TO THE PART. REPORTER ALSO STATED THE OIL SEALS ARE USED IN THESE SHAFT BEARING COMPARTMENTS TO CONTAIN THE OIL MIST AND OIL SPRAY. IF THESE OIL BEARINGS; OIL SEALS AND AIR SEALS ARE DEFECTIVE OR FAIL; THEY CAUSE SMOKE AND FUMES TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE COCKPIT AND CABIN THROUGH THE PNEUMATIC BLEED DUCTS AND BLEED VALVES ON THE ENGINES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.