This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

55364

Vol. 62, No. 206

Friday, October 24, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–ANE–33–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Pratt &

Whitney Canada PW100 Series

Turboprop Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

adoption of a new airworthiness

directive (AD) that is applicable to Pratt

& Whitney Canada (PWC) PW100 series

turboprop engines. This proposal would

require removal of the existing fuel

manifold tubes, lock plates, and

preformed packing; installation of

improved fuel manifold transfer tubes,

improved lock plates, and improved

preformed packing; and, after

installation, the performance of a leak

check. This proposal is prompted by

reports of engine fuel leaks which

resulted in either inflight engine

shutdowns or fire warnings. The actions

specified by the proposed AD are

intended to prevent engine fuel leaks,

which can result in inflight engine

shutdowns or fire warnings.

DATES: Comments must be received by

December 23, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), New England

Region, Office of the Assistant Chief

Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No.

97-ANE–33-AD, 12 New England

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803–

5299. Comments may also be sent via

the Internet using the following address:

‘‘9-ad-engineprop@faa.dot.gov’’.

Comments sent via the Internet must

contain the docket number in the

subject line. Comments may be

inspected at this location between 8:00

a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays.

The service information referenced in

the proposed rule may be obtained from

Pratt & Whitney Canada, 1000 MarieVictorin, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada

J4G 1A1; telephone (514) 677–9411, fax

(514) 647–3620. This information may

be examined at the FAA, New England

Region, Office of the Assistant Chief

Counsel, 12 New England Executive

Park, Burlington, MA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Diane Cook, Aerospace Engineer, Engine

Certification Office, FAA, Engine and

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803–

5299; telephone (617) 238–7133, fax

(617) 238–7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to

participate in the making of the

proposed rule by submitting such

written data, views, or arguments as

they may desire. Communications

should identify the Rules Docket

number and be submitted in triplicate to

the address specified above. All

communications received on or before

the closing date for comments, specified

above, will be considered before taking

action on the proposed rule. The

proposals contained in this notice may

be changed in light of the comments

received.

Comments are specifically invited on

the overall regulatory, economic,

environmental, and energy aspects of

the proposed rule. All comments

submitted will be available, both before

and after the closing date for comments,

in the Rules Docket for examination by

interested persons. A report

summarizing each FAA-public contact

concerned with the substance of this

proposal will be filed in the Rules

Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to

acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this notice

must submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket Number 97-ANE–33-AD.’’ The

postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

Any person may obtain a copy of this

NPRM by submitting a request to the

FAA, New England Region, Office of the

Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention:

Rules Docket No. 97-ANE-33-AD, 12

New England Executive Park,

Burlington, MA 01803-5299.

Discussion

Transport Canada, which is the

airworthiness authority for Canada,

recently notified the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA) that an unsafe

condition may exist on Pratt & Whitney

Canada (PWC) PW118, PW118A,

PW118B, PW119B, PW119C, PW120,

PW120A, PW121, PW121A, PW123,

PW123B, PW123C, PW123D, PW123E,

PW124B, PW125B, PW126A, PW127,

PW127E, PW127F series turboprop

engines. Transport Canada advises that

they have received reports of several

incidents of PW100 series engine fuel

leaks which resulted in either inflight

shutdowns or fire warnings. The

investigation showed that most of these

fuel leaks occurred shortly after fuel

manifold maintenance actions, and that

they were caused by an incorrect

installation and the quality of o-ring

seals installed. The manufacturer has

determined that the current transfer

tube lock plates installed in accordance

with PWC Service Bulletin (SB) No.

21077, Revision 7, dated October 10,

1996, are sensitive to installation errors

and can be bent out of position. This

condition, if not corrected, can result in

engine fuel leaks, which can result in

inflight engine shutdowns or fire

warnings.

Pratt & Whitney Canada has issued SB

No. 21516, dated August 14, 1997, and

SB No. 21549, dated September 18,

1997, which introduces new fuel

manifold transfer tubes and new fuel

manifold drain transfer tubes. Pratt &

Whitney Canada has also issued SB No.

21373, Revision 3, dated October 11,

1996, which introduces a new lock plate

to accommodate the fuel manifold

transfer tubes to prevent the incorrect

installation and hold the transfer tubes

in position. In addition, PWC has issued

SB No. 21364, Revision 1, dated April

28, 1995, that address the o-ring quality

control problem by introducing a

preformed packing with a better quality

control during manufacturing process.

Transport Canada classified these SBs as

mandatory and issued AD CF–96-22,

dated November 19, 1996, in order to

assure the airworthiness of these

engines in Canada.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 206 / Friday, October 24, 1997 / Proposed Rules 55365

These engine models are

manufactured in Canada and are type

certificated for operation in the United

States under the provisions of Section

21.29 of the Federal Aviation

Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and the

applicable bilateral airworthiness

agreement. Pursuant to this bilateral

airworthiness agreement, Transport

Canada has kept the FAA informed of

the situation described above. The FAA

has examined the findings of Transport

Canada, reviewed all available

information, and determined that AD

action is necessary for products of this

type design that are certificated for

operation in the United States.

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop on other engines of the same

type design registered in the United

States, the proposed AD would require

removal of the existing fuel manifold

tubes, lock plates, and performed

packing and installation of improved

fuel manifold transfer tubes, lock plates,

and preformed packing, at the earliest of

the following: (1) the next time, after the

effective date of this AD, that the engine

or module is at a maintenance base that

can do the modifications specified,

regardless of the scheduled maintenance

action or reason for engine removal; (2)

or at the next fuel nozzle change; or (3)

prior to November 30, 1998. This

calendar end-date was determined

based upon risk assessment. After

installation, but prior to further flight,

this AD requires performing a leak

check. The actions would be required to

be accomplished in accordance with the

SBs described previously.

The FAA estimates that 1,216 engines

installed on aircraft of U.S. registry

would be affected by this proposed AD,

that it would not take any additional

work hours per engine to accomplish

the proposed actions, as the actions may

be performed during regularly

scheduled maintenance or overhaul.

Required parts would cost

approximately $370 per engine. Based

on these figures, the total cost impact of

the proposed AD on U.S. operators is

estimated to be $449,920.

The regulations proposed herein

would not have substantial direct effects

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. Therefore,

in accordance with Executive Order

12612, it is determined that this

proposal would not have sufficient

federalism implications to warrant the

preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this 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); and (3) if

promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft

regulatory evaluation prepared for this

action is contained in the Rules Docket.

A copy of it may be obtained by

contacting the Rules Docket at the

location provided under the caption

ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration proposes to amend part

39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

(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. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding the following new airworthiness

directive:

Pratt & Whitney Canada: Docket No. 97-

ANE–33-AD.

Applicability: Pratt & Whitney Canada

(PWC) PW118, W118A, PW118B, PW119B,

PW119C, PW120, PW120A, PW121, W121A,

PW123, PW123B, PW123C, PW123D,

PW123E, PW124B, PW125B, PW126A,

PW127, PW127E, PW127F series engines

installed on but not limited to Dornier 328,

Fokker 50, Jetstream ATP, ATR42, ATR42–

500, ATR72, Embraer EMB–120, Canadair

CL215T, CL415, and DeHavilland Dash-8–

100/-200/-300/-315.

Note 1: This airworthiness directive (AD)

applies to each engine identified in the

preceding applicability provision, regardless

of whether it has been modified, altered, or

repaired in the area subject to the

requirements of this AD. For engines that

have been modified, altered, or repaired so

that the performance of the requirements of

this AD is affected, the owner/operator must

request approval for an alternative method of

compliance in accordance with paragraph (c)

of this AD. The request should include an

assessment of the effect of the modification,

alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition

addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe

condition has not been eliminated, the

request should include specific proposed

actions to address it.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless

accomplished previously.

To prevent engine fuel leaks, which can

result in inflight engine shutdowns or fire

warnings, accomplish the following:

(a) Remove the existing fuel manifold

tubes, lock plates, and performed packing

and replace with the improved fuel manifold

transfer tubes and fuel manifold drain

transfer tubes in accordance with the

applicable PWC Service Bulletins (SB) No.

21516, dated August 14, 1997, and SB No.

21549, dated September 18, 1997, and SB No.

21077, Revision 7, dated October 10, 1996;

and the improved lock plates in accordance

with PWC SB No. 21373, Revision 3, dated

October 11, 1996, using the improved

preformed packing in accordance with PWC

SB No. 21364, Revision 1, dated April 28,

1995, as follows, whichever occurs first

following the effective date of this AD:

(1) At the next engine removal, regardless

of cause; or

(2) At the next fuel nozzle change; or

(3) Prior to November 30, 1998.

(b) After the installation of the improved

fuel manifold tubes and lockplates, but prior

to further flight, perform a leak check in

accordance with the applicable maintenance

manual.

(c) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Engine

Certification Office. Operators shall submit

their requests through an appropriate FAA

Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may

add comments and then send it to the

Manager, Engine Certification Office.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this airworthiness directive,

if any, may be obtained from the Engine

Certification Office.

(d) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the aircraft to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on

October 17, 1997.

Mark C. Fulmer,

Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–28217 Filed 10–23–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation

and Enforcement

30 CFR Parts 707 and 874

RIN 1029–AB89

Enhancing Abandoned Mine Lands

AML, Reclamation

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining

Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.