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[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12796-12799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04417]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-7205; Directorate Identifier 2015-CE-025-AD; 
Amendment 39-18419; AD 2016-05-01]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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[[Page 12797]]

SUMMARY: We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 96-12-12, 
which applies to certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-31, PA-31-300, 
PA-31-325, and PA-31-350 airplanes. AD 96-12-12 requires a one-time 
inspection of the bulkhead assembly at fuselage station (FS) 317.75 for 
cracks and the installation of one of two reinforcement kits determined 
by whether cracks were found during the inspection. This new AD 
requires repetitive inspections of the bulkhead assembly at FS 317.75 
for cracks, repair of cracks as necessary, and the installation of a 
reinforcement modification. This AD was prompted by cracks found in the 
FS 317.75 upper bulkhead. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe 
condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective April 15, 2016.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 15, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact Piper Aircraft, Inc. 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32960; 
telephone: (415) 330-9500; email: sales@atp.com; and Internet: http://www.piper.com/technical-publications/. You may view this referenced 
service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of 
this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148. It is also available on 
the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and 
locating Docket No. FAA-2015-7205.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015-
7205; 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 AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and 
other information. The address for the Docket Office (phone: 800-647-
5527) is Document Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory ``Keith'' Noles, Aerospace 
Engineer, FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1701 
Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia 30337; phone: (404) 474-5551; 
fax: (404) 474-5606; email: gregory.noles@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to supersede AD 96-12-12, Amendment 39-9654 (61 FR 28732, June 
6, 1996) (``AD 96-12-12''). AD 96-12-12 applied to certain Piper 
Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, and PA-31-350 
airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on December 9, 
2015 (80 FR 76398). The NPRM was prompted by cracks found in the 
fuselage station (FS) 317.75 upper bulkhead, which could cause 
structural failure of the vertical fin forward spar and lead to loss of 
control. The NPRM proposed to require repetitive inspections of the 
bulkhead assembly at FS 317.75 for cracks, repair of cracks as 
necessary, and the installation of a reinforcement modification to 
prevent cracks from developing. We are issuing this AD to correct the 
unsafe condition on these products.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comment received on the NPRM (80 FR 
76398, December 9, 2015) and the FAA's response to the comment.

Request

    Erin Talbott of Hageland Aviation Service commented that the 
estimated labor of 8 work-hours to install the reinforcement 
modification was incorrect. The commenter's company installed the 
modification on 3 of their airplanes, and the correct estimated work-
hours for installation of the reinforcement modification was 32 work-
hours.
    We infer from the comment that the commenter requests we change the 
number of work-hours to more accurately state the estimated labor cost.
    The FAA agrees with this comment, and we have revised the estimated 
Cost of Compliance section to reflect this change.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, and 
determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting 
this AD as proposed except for minor editorial changes. We have 
determined that these minor changes:
     Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM (80 FR 76398, December 9, 2015) for correcting the unsafe 
condition; and
     Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM (80 FR 76398, December 9, 2015).

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1273A, dated 
October 22, 2015. The service bulletin describes procedures for 
inspecting the bulkhead assembly at FS 317.75, repairing any cracks 
found, and installation of a reinforcement modification to prevent 
cracks from developing. This service information is reasonably 
available because the interested parties have access to it through 
their normal course of business or by the means identified in the 
ADDRESSES section of this final rule.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 977 airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
             Action                  Labor cost              Parts cost               product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection of the bulkhead       2 work-hours x     Not applicable..............            $170        $166,090
 assembly.                        $85 per hour =
                                  $170.
Repair/reinforcement of          32 work-hours x    500.........................           3,220       3,145,940
 bulkhead assembly.               $85 per hour =
                                  $2,720.
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[[Page 12798]]

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 AD will not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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 this AD:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866,
    (2) Is not a ``significant rule'' under 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.

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

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

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 
96-12-12, Amendment 39-9654 (61 FR 28732, June 6, 1996), and adding the 
following new AD:

2016-05-01 Piper Aircraft, Inc.: Amendment 39-18419; Docket No. FAA-
2015-7205; Directorate Identifier 2015-CE-025-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective April 15, 2016.

(b) Affected ADs

    This AD replaces 96-12-12, Amendment 39-9654 (61 FR 28732, June 
6, 1996) (``AD 96-12-12'').

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the following Piper Aircraft, Inc. airplanes 
listed in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this AD, certificated in 
any category:
    (1) Models PA-31, PA-31-300, and PA-31-325: Serial numbers 31-2 
through 31-900 and 31-7300901 through 31-8312019; and
    (2) Model PA-31-350: Serial numbers 31-5001 through 31-5004 and 
31-7305005 through 31-8553002.

    Note 1 to paragraph (c)(1) of this AD:  The Model PA-31 may also 
be identified as a PA-31-310, even though the PA-31-310 is not a 
model recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the 
type certificate data sheet.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by bulkhead cracks found on airplanes that 
had complied with AD 96-12-12 and on additional airplanes not 
affected by AD 96-12-12. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
structural failure of the vertical fin forward spar caused by cracks 
in the fuselage station (FS) at 317.75 upper bulkhead, which could 
lead to loss of control.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Inspection/Repair

    (1) Before or upon accumulating 2,000 hours time-in-service 
(TIS) or within the next 100 hours TIS after April 15, 2016 (the 
effective date of this AD), whichever occurs later, and repetitively 
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 hours TIS, inspect the 
bulkhead assembly at FS 317.75 for cracks following Part I of the 
Instructions in Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1273A, 
dated October 22, 2015.
    (2) If any cracks are found during the inspection required in 
paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, before further flight, repair the 
cracks and install the reinforcement modification following Part I 
of the Instructions in Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 
1273A, dated October 22, 2015. This repair/modification terminates 
the requirements for the repetitive inspections required in 
paragraph (g)(1) of this AD.
    (3) You may do the modification required in paragraph (h) of 
this AD to terminate the repetitive inspections required in 
paragraph (g)(1) of this AD.

(h) Modification

    Unless already done as a repair for cracks found in the 
inspection required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, before or upon 
accumulating 2,500 hours TIS or within the next 500 hours after 
April 15, 2016 (the effective date of this AD), whichever occurs 
later, install the reinforcement modification following Part II of 
the Instructions in Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1273A, 
dated October 22, 2015. This modification terminates the repetitive 
inspections required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD.

(i) Credit for Actions Accomplished in Accordance With Previous Service 
Information

    This AD allows credit for the inspection required in paragraph 
(g)(1) of this AD and the repair required in paragraph (g)(2) of 
this AD, if done before April 15, 2016 (the effective date of this 
AD), following Part I of the Instructions in Piper Aircraft, Inc. 
Service Bulletin No. 1273, dated June 4, 2015. This AD also allows 
credit for the modification required in paragraph (h) of this AD, if 
done before April 15, 2016 (the effective date of this AD), 
following Part II of the Instructions in Piper Aircraft, Inc. 
Service Bulletin No. 1273, dated June 4, 2015.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 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 Related Information, paragraph 
(j)(1) of this AD.
    (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.

(k) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Gregory ``Keith'' 
Noles, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Atlanta ACO, 1701 Columbia Avenue, 
College Park, Georgia 30337; phone: (404) 474-5551; fax: (404) 474-
5606; email: gregory.noles@faa.gov.

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed 
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.

[[Page 12799]]

    (i) Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1273A, dated 
October 22, 2015.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) For Piper Aircraft, Inc. service information identified in 
this AD, contact Piper Aircraft, Inc. 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, 
FL 32960; telephone: (415) 330-9500; email: sales@atp.com; and 
Internet: http://www.piper.com/technical-publications/.
    (4) You may view this referenced service information at the FAA, 
Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. 
For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, 
call (816) 329-4148.
    (5) You may view this service information that is incorporated 
by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at 
NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 24, 2016.
Robert P. Busto,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-04417 Filed 3-10-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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