Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 211 / Tuesday, November 1, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 67341 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0868; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–CE–027–AD; Amendment 

39–16854; AD 2011–23–03] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplanes. 

This AD results from mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information 

(MCAI) issued by an aviation authority 

of another country to identify and 

correct an unsafe condition on an 

aviation product. The MCAI describes 

the unsafe condition as: 

A TBM700 operator reported an occurrence 

where, as a result of handling the standby 

compass lighting bulb cover in flight, both 

essential bus bars (ESS BUS 1 and ESS BUS 

2) failed, leading to loss of a number of 

instruments and navigation systems. 

The technical investigations carried out by 

SOCATA have shown that the cause of this 

occurrence was that the electrical protection 

of some TBM 700 aeroplanes is insufficient 

to allow in-flight handling of the standby 

compass lighting cover when energized. 

This condition, if not corrected, may 

compromise the ability of the pilot to safely 

operate the aeroplane under certain flight 

conditions due to the increase of workload. 

We are issuing this AD to require 

actions to correct the unsafe condition 

on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective December 6, 

2011. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in the AD 

as of December 6, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD 

docket on the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov or in person at 

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 service information identified in 

this AD, contact SOCATA—Direction 

des Services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, 

France; telephone: +33 (0)5 62 41 73 00; 

fax: +33 (0)5 62 41 7654; or in the 

United States contact SOCATA North 

America, Inc., North Perry Airport, 7501 

South Airport Road, Pembroke Pines, 

Florida 33023; telephone: (954) 893– 

1400; fax: (954) 964–4141; Internet: 

http://www.socatanorthamerica.com. 

You may review copies of the 

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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Albert Mercado, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 

Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329– 

4119; fax: (816) 329–4090; email: 

albert.mercado@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to include an AD that would 

apply to the specified products. That 

NPRM was published in the Federal 

Register on August 16, 2011 (75 FR 

50706). That NPRM proposed to correct 

an unsafe condition for the specified 

products. The MCAI states: 

A TBM700 operator reported an occurrence 

where, as a result of handling the standby 

compass lighting bulb cover in flight, both 

essential bus bars (ESS BUS 1 and ESS BUS 

2) failed, leading to loss of a number of 

instruments and navigation systems. 

The technical investigations carried out by 

SOCATA have shown that the cause of this 

occurrence was that the electrical protection 

of some TBM 700 aeroplanes is insufficient 

to allow in-flight handling of the standby 

compass lighting cover when energized. 

This condition, if not corrected, may 

compromise the ability of the pilot to safely 

operate the aeroplane under certain flight 

conditions due to the increase of workload. 

To address this unsafe condition, SOCATA 

have developed a modification which 

consists of installing a protection fuse on the 

wire at the standby compass connector, 

introduced by SOCATA Service Bulletin (SB) 

70–192–34. 

For the reasons described above, this AD 

requires installation of a protection of the 

electrical wire at the standby compass 

connector. 

You may obtain further information by 

examining the MCAI in the AD docket. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

considered the comment received. 

Request To Correct Fax Number 

Jeanne Da Costa of DAHER SOCATA 

stated that there is a typographical error 

in the fax number for the SOCATA 

office located in France. Currently, the 

fax number listed under the ADDRESSES

section and in the Related Information 

section is +33 (0)5 62 41 7–54. The 

commenter states that the correct fax 

number is +33 (0)5 62 41 7654 and 

requests the correction be made in the 

final rule AD action. 

We agree with the commenter and 

have revised the final rule AD action to 

incorporate the correct fax number. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the available data, 

including the comment received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

with the changes described previously. 

We determined that these changes will 

not increase the economic burden on 

any operator or increase the scope of the 

AD. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

MCAI or Service Information 

We have reviewed the MCAI and 

related service information and, in 

general, agree with their substance. But 

we might have found it necessary to use 

different words from those in the MCAI 

to ensure the AD is clear for U.S. 

operators and is enforceable. In making 

these changes, we do not intend to differ 

substantively from the information 

provided in the MCAI and related 

service information. 

We might also have required different 

actions in this AD from those in the 

MCAI in order to follow FAA policies. 

Any such differences are highlighted in 

a NOTE within the AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

124 products of U.S. registry. We also 

estimate that it will take about 1 workhour per product to comply with the 

basic requirements of this AD. The 

average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. 

Required parts will cost about $350 per 

product. 

Based on these figures, we estimate 

the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to 

be $53,940 or $435 per product. 

According to the manufacturer, all of 

the costs of this AD may be covered 

under warranty, thereby reducing the 

cost impact on affected individuals. We 

do not control warranty coverage for 

affected individuals. As a result, we 

have included all costs in our cost 

estimate. 

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 

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67342 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 211 / Tuesday, November 1, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

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 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 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); and 

(3) 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. 

We prepared a regulatory evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this AD and placed it in the AD Docket. 

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 the NPRM (75 FR 

50706, August 16, 2011), the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Office (telephone (800) 647– 

5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

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 

■ 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 AD: 

2011–23–03 SOCATA: Amendment 39– 

16854; Docket No. FAA–2011–0868; 

Directorate Identifier 2011–CE–027–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes 

effective December 6, 2011. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to SOCATA Model TBM 

700 airplanes, serial numbers 148, 434 

through 572, 574, and 576, certificated in any 

category. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association of America 

(ATA) Code 34: Navigation. 

(e) Reason 

The mandatory continuing airworthiness 

information (MCAI) states: 

A TBM700 operator reported an occurrence 

where, as a result of handling the standby 

compass lighting bulb cover in flight, both 

essential bus bars (ESS BUS 1 and ESS BUS 

2) failed, leading to loss of a number of 

instruments and navigation systems. 

The technical investigations carried out by 

SOCATA have shown that the cause of this 

occurrence was that the electrical protection 

of some TBM 700 aeroplanes is insufficient 

to allow in-flight handling of the standby 

compass lighting cover when energized. 

This condition, if not corrected, may 

compromise the ability of the pilot to safely 

operate the aeroplane under certain flight 

conditions due to the increase of workload. 

To address this unsafe condition, SOCATA 

have developed a modification which 

consists of installing a protection fuse on the 

wire at the standby compass connector, 

introduced by SOCATA Service Bulletin (SB) 

70–192–34. 

For the reasons described above, this AD 

requires installation of a protection of the 

electrical wire at the standby compass 

connector. 

(f) Actions and Compliance 

Unless already done, within 6 months after 

December 6, 2011 (the effective date of this 

AD), install a protection fuse on the wire at 

the standby compass connector following the 

Accomplishment Instructions in DAHER– 

SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory Service 

Bulletin SB 70–192–34, dated April 2011. 

(g) FAA AD Differences 

Note: This AD differs from the MCAI and/ 

or service information as follows: No 

differences. 

(h) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, Standards Office, 

FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested using the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to 

ATTN: Albert Mercado, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 

Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 

telephone: (816) 329–4119; fax: (816) 329– 

4090; email: albert.mercado@faa.gov. Before 

using any approved AMOC on any airplane 

to which the AMOC applies, notify your 

appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the 

FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), 

or lacking a PI, your local FSDO. 

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(3) Reporting Requirements: For any 

reporting requirement in this AD, a federal 

agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a 

person is not required to respond to, nor 

shall a person be subject to a penalty for 

failure to comply with a collection of 

information subject to the requirements of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that 

collection of information displays a current 

valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 

Control Number for this information 

collection is 2120–0056. Public reporting for 

this collection of information is estimated to 

be approximately 5 minutes per response, 

including the time for reviewing instructions, 

completing and reviewing the collection of 

information. All responses to this collection 

of information are mandatory. Comments 

concerning the accuracy of this burden and 

suggestions for reducing the burden should 

be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence 

Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

AES–200. 

(i) Related Information 

Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety 

Agency (EASA) AD No. 2011–0130, dated 

July 8, 2011; and DAHER–SOCATA TBM 

Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70– 

192–34, dated April 2011, for related 

information. 

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) You must use DAHER–SOCATA TBM 

Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70– 

192–34, dated April 2011, to do the actions 

required by this AD, unless the AD specifies 

otherwise. The Director of the Federal 

Register approved the incorporation by 

reference (IBR) under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 

CFR part 51 on December 6, 2011. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact SOCATA—Direction des 

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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 211 / Tuesday, November 1, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 67343 

Services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; 

telephone: +33 (0)5 62 41 73 00; fax: +33 (0)5 

62 41 7654; or in the United States contact 

SOCATA North America, Inc., North Perry 

Airport, 7501 South Airport Road, Pembroke 

Pines, Florida 33023; telephone: (954) 893– 

1400; fax: (954) 964–4141; Internet: http:// 

www.socatanorthamerica.com. 

(3) You may review copies of the 

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. 

(4) You may also review copies of the 

service information that is incorporated by 

reference at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of this 

material at an NARA facility, call (202) 741– 

6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/ 

federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on 

October 24, 2011. 

Earl Lawrence, 

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–27949 Filed 10–31–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–1162; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–NM–186–AD; Amendment 

39–16856; AD 2011–23–05] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Model 737–300, –400, and 

–500 Series Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 

certain Model 737–300, –400, and –500 

series airplanes. That AD currently 

requires repetitive inspections for 

cracking of the 1.04-inch nominal 

diameter wire penetration hole, and 

applicable related investigative and 

corrective actions. This AD reduces the 

compliance times for those actions. This 

AD was prompted by reports of cracking 

in the frame, or in the frame and frame 

reinforcement, common to the 1.04-inch 

nominal diameter wire penetration hole 

intended for wire routing; and recent 

reports of multiple adjacent frame 

cracking found before the compliance 

time required by the existing AD. Such 

cracking could reduce the structural 

capability of the frames to sustain limit 

loads, and result in cracking in the 

fuselage skin and subsequent rapid 

depressurization of the airplane. We are 

issuing this AD to correct the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective November 

16, 2011. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in the AD 

as of November 16, 2011. 

We must receive any comments on 

this AD by December 16, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments 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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, 

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

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

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. 

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 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: 

Wayne Lockett, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, Seattle 

Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 

FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; phone: (425) 

917–6447; fax: (425) 917–6590; email: 

wayne.lockett@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On August 26, 2009, we issued AD 

2009–02–06 R1, Amendment 39–16015 

(74 FR 45979, September 8, 2009), for 

certain Model 737–300, –400, and –500 

series airplanes. That AD requires 

repetitive inspections for cracking of the 

1.04-inch nominal diameter wire 

penetration hole in the frame and in the 

frame reinforcement, between stringers 

S–20 and S–21, on both the left and 

right sides of the airplane, and 

applicable related investigative and 

corrective actions. That AD resulted 

from reports of cracking in the frame, or 

in the frame and frame reinforcement, 

common to the 1.04-inch nominal 

diameter wire penetration hole intended 

for wire routing. We issued that AD to 

detect and correct cracking in the 

fuselage frames and frame 

reinforcements, which could reduce the 

structural capability of the frames to 

sustain limit loads, and result in 

cracking in the fuselage skin and 

subsequent rapid depressurization of 

the airplane. 

Actions Since AD Was Issued 

Since we issued AD 2009–02–06 R1, 

Amendment 39–16015 (74 FR 45979, 

September 8, 2009), we received a 

report of four adjacent cracked frames at 

body station (BS) 500B, BS 500C, BS 

500D, and BS 520 in the forward cargo 

compartment between S–20L and S–21L 

on a Model 737–300 series airplane. The 

cracks at BS 500B and BS 500C were 

completely through the frame and failsafe chord. The BS 500B frame was also 

cracked on the right-hand side. The 

cracks were discovered when the 

airplane had accumulated 44,535 total 

flight cycles and 44,876 total flight 

hours—before the compliance time 

required by AD 2009–02–06 R1. 

Relevant Service Information 

AD 2009–02–06 R1, Amendment 39– 

16015 (74 FR 45979, September 8, 

2009), referred to Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 737–53A1279, dated December 

18, 2007, as the appropriate source of 

service information for the required 

actions. Boeing has since revised this 

service bulletin. We reviewed Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 737–53A1279, 

Revision 1, dated September 2, 2011, 

which shortens the compliance time to 

30,000 total flight cycles, with a grace 

period of 30 or 90 days, and reduces the 

repetitive interval from 14,000 to 4,500 

flight cycles. The procedures are 

unchanged from those specified in 

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