Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 113 / Tuesday, June 12, 2012 / Proposed Rules 34879 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services 

Management, P. O. Box 3707, MC 2H–65, 

Seattle, Washington 98124–2207; telephone 

206–544–5000, extension 1; fax 206–766– 

5680; Internet https:// 

www.myboeingfleet.com. You may review 

copies of the referenced service information 

at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington. 

For information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 31, 

2012. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–14252 Filed 6–11–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0591; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–NM–015–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) 

that applies to certain The Boeing 

Company Model 737–600, –700, –700C, 

–800, and –900 series airplanes. The 

existing AD currently requires replacing 

the drain tube assemblies and support 

clamps on the aft fairing of the engine 

struts. Since we issued that AD, we 

received an additional report of a 

broken drain tube assembly on the aft 

fairing of the left engine strut at the 

clamp support location under the aft 

fairing compartment, inside the heat 

shield cavity of the aft fairing. There 

have also been reports of tube wear at 

the clamp location on additional 

airplanes. This proposed AD would 

require replacing the drain tube 

assembly of the left and right engine 

strut aft fairings with a new one which 

includes an integral support clamp 

made of nickel alloy 625. This proposed 

AD would also add airplanes to the 

applicability. We are proposing this AD 

to prevent failure of the drain tube 

assemblies and clamps on the aft 

fairings of the engine struts. Such failure 

could allow leaked flammable fluids in 

the drain systems to discharge onto the 

heat shields of the aft fairings of the 

engine struts, which could result in an 

undetected and uncontrollable fire. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by July 27, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed AD, contact Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data 

& Services Management, P.O. Box 3707, 

MC 2H–65, Seattle, Washington 98124– 

2207; telephone 206–544–5000, 

extension 1; fax 206–766–5680; email 

me.boecom@boeing.com; Internet 

https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You 

may review copies of the referenced 

service information at the FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington. 

For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call 425–227– 

1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility between 

9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 

docket contains this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Office 

(phone: 800–647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Ansel James, Aerospace Engineer, 

Propulsion Branch, ANM–140S, FAA, 

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; phone: 425– 

917–6497; fax: 425–917–6590; email: 

ansel.james@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2012–0591; Directorate Identifier 

2012–NM–015–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD because of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

On April 8, 2008, we issued AD 2008– 

08–24, Amendment 39–15478 (73 FR 

21242, April 21, 2008), for certain 

Model 737–600, –700, –700C, –800, and 

–900 series airplanes. That AD requires 

replacing the drain tube assemblies and 

support clamps on the aft fairing of the 

engine struts. That AD resulted from 

reports of failure of the drain tube 

assembly and clamp on the aft fairings 

of an engine strut. We issued that AD to 

prevent failure of the drain tube 

assemblies and clamps on the aft 

fairings of the engine struts. Failure of 

the drain tube assemblies could allow 

leaked flammable fluids in the drain 

systems to discharge onto the heat 

shields of the aft fairings of the engine 

struts, which could result in an 

undetected and uncontrollable fire. 

Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued 

AD 2008–08–24, Amendment 39– 

15478 (73 FR 21242, April 21, 2008), 

refers to Boeing Special Attention 

Service Bulletin 737–54–1043, dated 

May 2, 2007, as the appropriate source 

of service information for the required 

actions. 

Boeing then issued Special Attention 

Service Bulletin 737–54–1043, Revision 

1, dated October 19, 2009, to replace the 

drain tube assembly of the engine strut 

aft fairing and support clamp. 

Since we issued AD 2008–08–24, 

Amendment 39–15478 (73 FR 21242, 

April 21, 2008), an airplane on which 

the actions specified in Boeing Special 

Attention Service Bulletin 737–54– 

1043, Revision 1, dated October 19, 

2009, had been incorporated in 

production, was reported to have a 

broken drain tube assembly on the aft 

fairing of the left engine strut at the 

clamp support location under the aft 

fairing compartment, inside the heat 

shield cavity of the aft fairing (the same 

location identified in the existing AD). 

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34880 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 113 / Tuesday, June 12, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

This airplane had accumulated 4,127 

total flight cycles and 6,845 total flight 

hours. There have also been reports of 

tube wear at the clamp location. 

Boeing subsequently issued Special 

Attention Service Bulletin 737–54– 

1043, Revision 2, dated November 4, 

2011, which describes procedures for 

replacing the drain tube assembly of the 

engine strut aft fairing with a new one 

which includes an integral support 

clamp made of nickel alloy 625. 

Boeing Special Attention Service 

Bulletin 737–54–1043, Revision 2, dated 

November 4, 2011, includes Model 737– 

900ER series airplanes, which were not 

included in Boeing Special Attention 

Service Bulletin 737–54–1043, dated 

May 2, 2007. 

FAA’s Determination 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all the relevant information 

and determined the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop in other products of these same 

type designs. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would retain none 

of the requirements of AD 2008–08–24, 

Amendment 39–15478 (73 FR 21242, 

April 21, 2008). This proposed AD 

would add airplanes to the applicability 

statement of the existing AD. This 

proposed AD would also require 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

Boeing Special Attention Service 

Bulletin 737–54–1043, Revision 2, dated 

November 4, 2011, described in this 

NPRM. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

affects 1,098 airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this proposed AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

Replacement ........................... 14 work-hours × $85 per hour = $1,190 ................................ $12,326 $13,516 $14,840,568 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

Title 49 of the United States Code 

specifies the FAA’s authority to issue 

rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, 

Section 106, describes the authority of 

the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, 

Aviation Programs, describes in more 

detail the scope of the Agency’s 

authority. 

We are issuing this rulemaking under 

the authority described in Subtitle VII, 

Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701, 

‘‘General requirements.’’ Under that 

section, Congress charges the FAA with 

promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in 

air commerce by prescribing regulations 

for practices, methods, and procedures 

the Administrator finds necessary for 

safety in air commerce. This regulation 

is within the scope of that authority 

because it addresses an unsafe condition 

that is likely to exist or develop on 

products identified in this rulemaking 

action. 

Regulatory Findings 

We have determined that this 

proposed AD would not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. This proposed AD would not 

have a substantial direct effect on the 

States, on the relationship between the 

national Government and the States, or 

on the distribution of power and 

responsibilities among the various 

levels of government. 

For the reasons discussed above, I 

certify that the proposed regulation: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

(2) Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under 

the DOT Regulatory Policies and 

Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 

1979), 

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, and 

(4) Will not have a significant 

economic impact, positive or negative, 

on a substantial number of small entities 

under the criteria of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 

39 as follows: 

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS 

DIRECTIVES 

1. The authority citation for part 39 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by 

removing airworthiness directive (AD) 

2008–08–24, Amendment 39–15478 (73 

FR 21242, April 21, 2008), and adding 

the following new AD: 

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA– 

2012–0591; Directorate Identifier 2012– 

NM–015–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

AD action by July 27, 2012. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD supersedes AD 2008–08–24, 

Amendment 39–15478 (73 FR 21242, April 

21, 2008). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to The Boeing Company 

Model 737–600, –700, –700C, –800, –900, 

and –900ER series airplanes; certificated in 

any category; as identified in Boeing Special 

Attention Service Bulletin 737–54–1043, 

Revision 2, dated November 4, 2011. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/ 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America 

Code 54, Nacelles/pylons. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report of a 

broken drain tube assembly on the aft fairing 

of the left engine strut at the clamp support 

location under the aft fairing compartment, 

inside the heat shield cavity of the aft fairing. 

There have also been reports of tube wear at 

the clamp location on additional airplanes. 

We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of 

the drain tube assemblies and clamps on the 

aft fairings of the engine struts. Such failure 

could allow leaked flammable fluids in the 

drain systems to discharge onto the heat 

shields of the aft fairings of the engine struts, 

which could result in an undetected and 

uncontrollable fire. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Replacement 

Within 60 months after the effective date 

of this AD, replace the drain tube assemblies 

and support clamps on the aft fairing of the 

struts of engines 1 and 2 with new drain tube 

assemblies and clamps, in accordance with 

the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing 

Special Attention Service Bulletin 737–54– 

1043, Revision 2, dated November 4, 2011. 

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), FAA, has the 

authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 113 / Tuesday, June 12, 2012 / Proposed Rules 34881 

requested using the procedures found in 14 

CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, 

send your request to your principal inspector 

or local Flight Standards District Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the manager of the ACO, send it to the 

attention of the person identified in the 

Related Information section of this AD. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-ANMSeattle-ACO-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. 

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. 

(3) AMOCs approved previously in 

accordance with AD 2008–08–24, 

Amendment 39–15478 (73 FR 21242, April 

21, 2008), are not approved as AMOCs with 

this AD. 

(i) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Ansel James, Aerospace Engineer, 

Propulsion Branch, ANM–140S, FAA, Seattle 

Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057– 

3356; phone: 425–917–6497; fax: 425–917– 

6590; email: ansel.james@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services 

Management, P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H–65, 

Seattle, Washington 98124–2207; telephone 

206–544–5000, extension 1; fax 206–766– 

5680; email me.boecom@boeing.com; Internet 

https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may 

review copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

425–227–1221. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 31, 

2012. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–14245 Filed 6–11–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0498; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–NM–212–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

The Boeing Company Model 747–400, 

–400D, and –400F series airplanes. This 

proposed AD was prompted by reports 

of crown frame web cracking at left 

buttock line (LBL) 15.0, station (STA) 

320. This proposed AD would require a 

measurement of the web at STA 320 

and, depending on findings, various 

inspections for cracks and missing 

fasteners, web and fastener replacement, 

and related investigative and corrective 

actions. We are proposing this AD to 

prevent complete fracture of the crown 

frame assembly, and consequent damage 

to the skin and in-flight decompression 

of the airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by July 27, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed AD, contact Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data 

& Services Management, P.O. Box 3707, 

MC 2H–65, Seattle, Washington 98124– 

2207; telephone 206–544–5000, 

extension 1; fax 206–766–5680; email 

me.boecom@boeing.com; Internet 

https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You 

may review copies of the referenced 

service information at the FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington. 

For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call 425–227– 

1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 

docket contains this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Office 

(phone: 800–647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill 

Ashforth, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 

Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, Seattle 

Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 

98057–3356; phone: 425–917–6432; fax: 

425–917–6590; email: 

Bill.Ashforth@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposal. Send your comments to 

an address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2012–0498; Directorate Identifier 2011– 

NM–212–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD because of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

We have received five reports of 

crown frame web cracking at left 

buttock line (LBL) 15.0, station (STA) 

320. One airplane crack length was not 

specified and reported at 9,456 flight 

cycles. Three cracks of 0.65 inch in 

length were reported after 9,354 flight 

cycles on one airplane, 12,851 flight 

cycles on the second airplane, and 

29,866 flight cycles on the third 

airplane. A crack of 0.85 inch was 

reported at 29,956 flight cycles on 

another airplane. 

Investigation revealed that in these 

airplanes, the web was made from 0.08- 

inch thick material and did not conform 

to production drawings. Also, an 

operator reported missing fasteners from 

locations common to the frame web and 

lower chord on the first delivered Model 

747–400 after 10,317 flight cycles. This 

airplane also had a web made from 0.08- 

inch thick material and did not conform 

to production drawings. 

This condition, if not corrected, could 

result in complete fracture of the crown 

frame assembly, and consequent damage 

to the skin and in-flight decompression 

of the airplane. 

Relevant Service Information 

We reviewed Boeing Service Bulletin 

747–53A2784, Revision 1, dated 

September 14, 2011. For information on 

the procedures and compliance times, 

see this service information at http:// 

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