69556 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2023 / Proposed Rules 

III. Proposed Action 

The NRC is requesting public 

comments on the draft RIS. All 

comments that are to receive 

consideration in the final RIS must still 

be submitted electronically or in writing 

as indicated in the ADDRESSES section of 

this document. The NRC staff will make 

a final determination regarding issuance 

of the RIS after it considers any public 

comments received in response to this 

request. 

Dated: October 3, 2023. 

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 

Lisa M. Regner, 

Chief, Generic Communication and Operating 

Experience Branch, Division of Reactor 

Oversight, Office of Nuclear Reactor 

Regulation. 

[FR Doc. 2023–22287 Filed 10–5–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2023–1893; Project 

Identifier AD–2023–00389–A] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; FS 2001 

Corp, FS 2002 Corporation, FS 2003 

Corporation, Piper, and Piper Aircraft, 

Inc. Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for 

certain FS 2001 Corp, FS 2002 

Corporation, FS 2003 Corporation, 

Piper, and Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) 

airplanes. This proposed AD was 

prompted by reports of broken rudders. 

This proposed AD would require 

replacing any rudder equipped with a 

rudder post made from a certain carbon 

steel with a rudder equipped with a 

rudder post made from a certain lowalloy steel. The FAA is proposing this 

AD to address the unsafe condition on 

these products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by November 20, 

2023. 

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 

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. 

AD Docket: You may examine the AD 

docket at regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating Docket No. FAA–2023– 

1893; or in person at Docket Operations 

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

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The AD docket contains this NPRM, any 

comments received, and other 

information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Joseph Zuklic, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des 

Moines, WA 98198; phone: (206) 231– 

3858; email: joseph.r.zuklic@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written relevant data, views, or 

arguments about this proposal. Send 

your comments to an address listed 

under ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2023–1893; Project Identifier AD– 

2023–00389–A’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. The most helpful comments 

reference a specific portion of the 

proposal, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. The FAA will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this proposal 

because of those comments. 

Except for Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) as described in the 

following paragraph, and other 

information as described in 14 CFR 

11.35, the FAA will post all comments 

received, without change, to 

regulations.gov, including any personal 

information you provide. The agency 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact received 

about this NPRM. 

Confidential Business Information 

CBI is commercial or financial 

information that is both customarily and 

actually treated as private by its owner. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt 

from public disclosure. If your 

comments responsive to this NPRM 

contain commercial or financial 

information that is customarily treated 

as private, that you actually treat as 

private, and that is relevant or 

responsive to this NPRM, it is important 

that you clearly designate the submitted 

comments as CBI. Please mark each 

page of your submission containing CBI 

as ‘‘PROPIN.’’ The FAA will treat such 

marked submissions as confidential 

under the FOIA, and they will not be 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to Joseph Zuklic, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 

South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 

98198. Any commentary that the FAA 

receives which is not specifically 

designated as CBI will be placed in the 

public docket for this rulemaking. 

Background 

The FAA received reports of two nonfatal accidents involving airplanes 

designed and built by Piper that were 

caused by broken rudder posts that 

structurally failed above the upper 

hinge in flight. Both accidents occurred 

in Anchorage, Alaska. The first accident 

occurred on June 8, 2020, and involved 

an FS 2003 Model PA–12 airplane and 

the second accident occurred on July 23, 

2021, and involved an FS 2002 Model 

PA–14 airplane. Both airplanes 

sustained substantial damage when the 

rudder structurally failed. 

The National Transportation Safety 

Board (NTSB) published the report 

Structural Failure of Piper Part Number 

40622 Rudder Posts Made of 1025 

Carbon Steel, NTSB/AIR–22/02, dated 

January 10, 2022, which provides 

information regarding the NTSB’s 

investigations of these two accidents. 

The NTSB accident investigation report 

included a recommendation (Safety 

Recommendation No. A–22–3) to the 

FAA to issue an airworthiness directive 

addressing this unsafe condition. The 

NTSB report can be found on ntsb.gov. 

The NTSB examined the rudders 

involved in these accidents and 

determined that the rudder posts 

fractured above the upper hinge and the 

top portion of the rudder folded over the 

upper tail brace wires. The NTSB also 

determined that the rudder posts were 

made from 1025 carbon steel and 

fractured due to fatigue. 

Prior to this proposed rulemaking 

action the FAA issued an Airworthiness 

Concern Sheet, dated September 4, 

2020, that requested information from 

the aviation community regarding inflight failure of the rudder just above the 

upper hinge on all Piper and FS2003 

Corp (type certificate previously held by 

Piper) Model J–5A, J–5B, J–5C, J–5D, 

AE–1, HE–1, PA–12, PA–12S, PA–14, 

PA–16, PA–18, L–21, PA–20, and PA– 

22 airplanes. The responses revealed 

that there were five additional broken 

rudder incidents dating as far back as 

1979. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2023 / Proposed Rules 69557 

Prior to 1974, all rudders installed on 

Piper model airplanes were equipped 

with rudder posts manufactured from 

1025 carbon steel and starting in 1974, 

the rudder posts were manufactured 

from 4130N low-alloy steel (Chromoly). 

Most parts manufacturer approval 

rudders are equipped with rudder posts 

made from 4130N low-alloy steel. 

The NTSB determined that the broken 

rudder incidents resulted from the 

combination of fatigue loading and 

corrosion affecting the rudder 

assemblies made from 1025 carbon 

steel. This condition, if not addressed, 

could result in a broken rudder and 

consequent reduced ability of the 

flightcrew to maintain the safe flight 

and landing of the airplane. 

FAA’s Determination 

The FAA is issuing this NPRM after 

determining that the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require 

replacing any rudder equipped with a 

rudder post made from 1025 carbon 

steel with a rudder equipped with a 

rudder post made from 4130N low-alloy 

steel. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 

30,992 airplanes of U.S. registry. 

The FAA estimates the following 

costs to comply with this proposed AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

Replace rudder ...................................... 8 work-hours × $85 per hour = $680 .... $2,320 $3,000 $92,976,000 

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. 

The FAA is 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 

The FAA 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 this proposed regulation: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

(2) Would not affect intrastate 

aviation in Alaska, and 

(3) Would 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 adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive: 

FS 2001 Corp, FS 2002 Corporation, FS 2003 

Corporation, Piper, and Piper Aircraft, 

Inc.: Docket No. FAA–2023–1893; 

Project Identifier AD–2023–00389–A. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by November 

20, 2023. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to all airplane models 

specified in Table 1 to paragraph (c) of this 

AD, certificated in any category, that are not 

equipped with a rudder having a rudder post 

made from 4130N low-alloy steel. 

Note 1 to paragraph (c): Most parts 

manufacturer approval (PMA) rudders are 

equipped with a rudder post made from 

4130N low-alloy steel. This can be verified 

by reviewing the individual PMA. 

Note 2 to paragraph (c): Piper Service 

Bulletin 1379, dated December 2, 2022, 

contains information related to this AD. 

TABLE 1 TO PARAGRAPH (c)—APPLICABLE AIRPLANE MODELS

Type certificate holder Airplane model 

FS 2001 Corp ................................. J5A (Army L–4F), J5A–80, J5B (Army L–4G), J5C, AE–1, HE–1. 

FS 2002 Corporation ...................... PA–14. 

FS 2003 Corporation ...................... PA–12, PA–12S. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ J3C–40, J3C–50, J3C–50S, J3C–65, J3C–65S, PA–11, PA–11S. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ J3F–50, J3F–50S, J3F–60, J3F–60S, (Army L–4D) J3F–65, J3F–65S. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ J3L, J3L–S, J3L–65 (ARMY L–4C), J3L–65S. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ J4, J4A, J4A–S. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ J4E (ARMY L–4E). 

Piper ................................................ J4F. 


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69558 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2023 / Proposed Rules 

TABLE 1 TO PARAGRAPH (c)—APPLICABLE AIRPLANE MODELS—Continued 

Type certificate holder Airplane model 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ PA–15. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ PA–16, PA–16S. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ PA–17. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ PA–18, PA–18S, PA–18 ‘‘105’’ (Special), PA–18S ‘‘105’’ (Special), PA–18A, PA–18 ‘‘125’’ (Army L–21A), 

PA–18S ‘‘125’’, PA–18AS ‘‘125’’, PA–18 ‘‘135’’ (Army L–21B), PA–18A ‘‘135’’, PA–18S ‘‘135’’, PA–18AS 

‘‘135’’, PA–18 ‘‘150’’, PA–18A ‘‘150’’, PA–18S ‘‘150’’, PA–18AS ‘‘150’’, PA–19 (Army L–18C), PA–19S. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ PA–18A (Restricted), PA–18A ‘‘135’’ (Restricted), PA–18A ‘‘150’’ (Restricted). 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ PA–20, PA–20S, PA–20 ‘‘115’’, PA–20S ‘‘115’’, PA–20 ‘‘135’’, PA–20S ‘‘135’’. 

Piper Aircraft, Inc ............................ PA–22, PA–22–108, PA–22–135, PA–22S–135, PA–22–150, PA–22S–150, PA–22–160, PA–22S–160. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code 5540, Rudder Structure. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports of 

broken rudders. The FAA is issuing this AD 

to address fatigue loading and corrosion of 

rudder posts made from 1025 carbon steel 

which, if not addressed, could result in a 

broken rudder and consequent reduced 

ability of the flightcrew to maintain the safe 

flight and landing of the airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

(1) At the applicable compliance time for 

the category type for your airplane specified 

in Table 2 to paragraph (g) of this AD, replace 

the rudder with a rudder that is equipped 

with a rudder post made from 4130N lowalloy steel. 

TABLE 2 TO PARAGRAPH (g)—COMPLIANCE TIMES

Airplane model Category type Compliance time 

J–3, J3C–40, J3C–50, J3C–50S, J3C–65, J3C–65S, J3F–50, 

J3F–50S, J3F–60, J3F–60S, J3F–65 (Army L–4D), J3F– 

65S, J3L, J3L–S, J3L–65 (ARMY L–4C), J3L–65S. 

J–4, J4, J4A, J4A–S, J4E (ARMY L–4E), J4F. 

Category I Airplanes: Airplanes having both a 

rudder post mounted beacon light and a 

150 or greater horsepower (HP) engine installed.

Within 2 years after the effective date of this AD. 

PA–11, PA–11S. 

PA–15. 

PA–16, PA–16S. 

Category II Airplanes: Airplanes having either 

a rudder post mounted beacon light or a 

150 or greater HP engine installed.

Within 3 years after the effective date of this AD. 

PA–17. 

PA–18, PA–18S, PA–18 ‘‘105’’ (Special), PA–18S ‘‘105’’ (Special), PA–18A, PA–18 ‘‘125’’ (Army L–21A), PA–18S ‘‘125’’, 

PA–18AS ‘‘125’’, PA–18 ‘‘135’’ (Army L–21B), PA–18A 

‘‘135’’, PA–18S ‘‘135’’, PA–18AS ‘‘135’’, PA–18 ‘‘150’’, PA– 

18A ‘‘150’’, PA–18S ‘‘150’’, PA–18AS ‘‘150’’, PA–18A (Restricted), PA–18A ‘‘135’’ (Restricted), PA–18A ‘‘150’’ (Restricted). 

Category III Airplanes: All other airplanes not 

in Category I or Category II that do not 

have a rudder post mounted beacon light 

and have an engine less than 150 HP installed.

Within 5 years after the effective date of this AD. 

PA–19, PA–19 (Army L–18C), PA–19S. 

PA–20, PA–20S, PA–20 ‘‘115’’, PA–20S ‘‘115’’, PA–20 ‘‘135’’, 

PA–20S ‘‘135’’. 

PA–22, PA–22–108, PA–22–135, PA–22S–135, PA–22–150, 

PA–22S–150, PA–22–160, PA–22S–160. 

J–5, J5A (Army L–4F), J5A–80, J5B (Army L–4G), J5C, AE–1, 

HE–1. 

PA–12, PA–12S. 

PA–14. 

(2) As of the effective date of this AD, do 

not install any rudder that is equipped with 

a rudder post made from 1025 carbon steel 

on any airplane. 

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, West Certification 

Branch, 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 West Certification 

Branch, send it to the attention of the person 

identified in paragraph (i)(1) 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. 

(i) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Joseph Zuklic, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des 

Moines, WA 98198; phone: (206) 231–3858; 

email: joseph.r.zuklic@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD that is not incorporated by reference, 

contact Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, 

Vero Beach, FL 32960; phone: (772) 299– 

2141; website: piper.com. You may view this 

service information at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 

Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 

64106. For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference 

None. 

Issued on September 27, 2023. 

Victor Wicklund, 

Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–22259 Filed 10–5–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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