Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 22, 1995 / Proposed Rules 9799

(c) 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 airplane to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on February

15, 1995.

Darrell M. Pederson,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 95–4253 Filed 2–21–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 93–CE–61–AD]

Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft

Corporation PA24, PA28R, PA30,

PA32R, PA32RT, PA34–200, PA34–

200T, PA39, and PA44 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes to

adopt a new airworthiness directive

(AD) that would apply to certain Piper

Aircraft Corporation (Piper) PA24,

PA28R, PA30, PA32R, PA32RT, PA34–

200, PA34–200T, PA39, and PA44 series

airplanes. The proposed action would

require repetitively inspecting the main

gear side brace studs for cracks and

replacing any cracked main gear side

brace stud. Several reports of main gear

side brace stud cracks on the affected

airplanes, including seven incidents

where the main landing gear (MLG)

collapsed, prompted the proposed AD.

The actions specified by the proposed

AD are intended to prevent a MLG

collapse caused by main gear side brace

stud cracks, which, if not detected and

corrected, could result in loss of control

of the airplane during landing

operations.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before May 5, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the FAA, Central Region,

Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 93–CE–61–

AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,

Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Comments

may be inspected at this location

between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday

through Friday, holidays excepted.

Information that relates to the

proposed AD may be inspected at the

Rules Docket at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christina Marsh, Aerospace Engineer,

FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification

Office, Campus Building, 1701

Columbia Avenue, Suite 2–160, College

Park, Georgia 30337–2748; telephone

(404) 305–7362; facsimile (404) 305–

7348.

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 that

summarizes 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 No. 93–CE–61–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, Central Region, Office of the

Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention:

Rules Docket No. 93–CE–61–AD, Room

1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City,

Missouri 64106.

Discussion

The FAA has received several reports

of main gear side brace stud cracks on

Piper PA24, PA32R, PA34–200, and

PA34–200T series airplanes. These

reports include an accident in the

United Kingdom where the main

landing gear (MLG) collapsed on a Piper

PA34–200 series airplane because of

high cycle fatigue cracking of the main

gear side brace stud. Metallurgical

examination of the stud revealed that

separate fatigue cracks had originated

from both the inboard and the outboard

edges near the bending radius of the

shank. Reverse bending loads then

allowed these cracks to extend across

approximately 30-percent of the shank

cross-section. The remaining 70-percent

of the shank cross-section failed because

of overstress. Review of service

difficulty records in the United

Kingdom and Canada, as well as the

United States, indicated that this

accident was almost identical to other

accidents on Piper airplane models of

similar type design.

On February 11, 1994, the FAA issued

an advance notice of proposed

rulemaking (ANPRM) to solicit

comments from owners/operators of the

affected airplanes in order to adequately

make a determination as to what type of

action to take (if any). From responses

to this ANPRM, the FAA found that

most of the owners/operators that

responded are currently inspecting the

main gear side brace studs on a routine

basis (every annual or 100 hours);

however, these operators are not

removing the studs or using nondestructive inspection methods. Based

on its review of the above-referenced

incidents, the FAA has determined that,

in order to adequately detect any cracks

on the main gear side brace studs, these

studs must be removed and inspected

using dye penetrant or magnetic particle

methods.

After examining the circumstances

and reviewing all available information

related to the incidents and accidents

described above, including the

comments received in response to the

ANPRM, the FAA has determined that

AD action should be taken to prevent

MLG collapse caused by main gear side

brace stud cracks, which, if not detected

and corrected, could result in loss of

control of the airplane during landing

operations.

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop in other Piper PA24, PA28R,

PA30, PA32R, PA32RT, PA34–200,

PA34–200T, PA39, and PA44 series

airplanes of the same type design, the

proposed AD would require repetitively

inspecting (using dye penetrant or

magnetic particle methods) the main

gear side brace studs for cracks, and

replacing any cracked main gear side

brace stud.

The FAA estimates that 9,200

airplanes in the U.S. registry would be

affected by the proposed AD, that it

would take approximately 5 workhours

to initially inspect both the right and

left main landing gear side brace studs,

and that the average labor rate is

approximately $60 an hour. Based on

these figures, the total cost impact of the

proposed AD on U.S. operators is

estimated to be $2,760,000. This figure

represents the cost of the initial

inspection, and does not reflect costs for
9800 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 22, 1995 / Proposed Rules

repetitive inspections or possible

replacements. The FAA has no way of

determining how many main gear side

brace studs may need replacement or

how many repetitive inspections each

owner/operator may incur.

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 action (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) 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 has been placed 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.

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. App. 1354(a), 1421

and 1423; 49 U.S.C. 106(g); and 14 CFR

11.89.

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding a new AD to read as follows:

Piper Aircraft Corporation: Docket No. 93–

CE–61–AD. Applicability: PA24, PA28R,

PA30, PA32R, PA32RT, PA34–200,

PA34–200T, PA39, and PA44 series

airplanes (all models and serial

numbers), certificated in any category.

Compliance: Required within the next

100 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the

effective date of this AD, unless already

accomplished, and thereafter as

indicated.

To prevent main landing gear (MLG)

collapse caused by main gear side brace stud

cracks, which, if not detected and corrected,

could result in loss of control of the airplane

during landing operations, accomplish the

following:

(a) Remove both the left and right main

gear side brace studs from the airplane in

accordance with the instructions contained

in the Landing Gear section of the

maintenance manual, and inspect each main

gear side brace stud for cracks, using FAAapproved dye penetrant or magnetic particle

methods.

(1) For any main gear side brace stud found

cracked, prior to further flight, replace the

cracked stud with an FAA-approved

serviceable part (part numbers referenced in

the table in paragraph (b) of this AD) in

accordance with the instructions contained

in the Landing Gear section of the applicable

maintenance manual, and reinspect as

specified in paragraph (b) of this AD.

(2) For any main gear side brace stud not

found cracked, prior to further flight,

reinstall the uncracked stud in accordance

with the instructions contained in the

Landing Gear section of the applicable

maintenance manual, and reinspect as

specified in paragraph (b) of this AD.

(b) Reinspect both the left and right main

gear side brace studs, using FAA-approved

dye penetrant or magnetic particle

procedures, at the applicable intervals

presented below, and replace any cracked

stud or reinstall any uncracked stud as

specified in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of

this AD, respectively:

Part number

installed

TIS inspection interval

Series Airplanes Installed on

20829–00 ..... 1,000 hours .. PA24.

22512–00 ..... 1,000 hours .. PA24, PA30,

and PA39

95299–00 or

95299–02.

500 hours ..... PA28R,

PA32R,

PA32RT,

PA34–200,

PA34–

200T, and

PA44.

78717–02

(contained

in the part

number

95643–06

or 95643–

07 bracket

assembly).

1,000 hours .. PA28R,

PA32R,

PA32T,

PA34–200,

PA34–

200T, and

PA44.

Note 1: Main gear side brace studs, part

numbers, 95299–00 and 95299–02, are no

longer manufactured, and any main gear side

brace stud found cracked incorporating one

of these part numbers may be replaced with

a part number 78717–02 main gear side brace

stud contained in the part number 95643–06

and 95643–07 bracket assembly.

Note 2: Accomplishing the actions of this

AD does not affect the requirements of AD

77–13–21, Amendment 39–3093. The

tolerance inspection requirements of that AD

still apply for Piper PA24, PA30, and PA39

series airplanes.

(c) 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 airplane to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

(d) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the initial or repetitive

compliance times that provides an equivalent

level of safety may be approved by the

Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office

(ACO), Campus Building, 1701 Columbia

Avenue, Suite 2–160, College Park, Georgia

30337–2748. The request shall be forwarded

through an appropriate FAA Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Atlanta ACO.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Atlanta ACO.

(e) Information related to this AD may be

inspected at the FAA, Central Region, Office

of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on

February 14, 1995.

Barry D. Clements,

Manager, Small Airpane Directorate, Aircraft

Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 95–4251 Filed 2–21–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 94–ANE–30]

Airworthiness Directives; Superior Air

Parts, Inc. Pistons Installed on

Teledyne Continental Motors O–470

Series Reciprocating 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

certain Superior Air Parts, Inc. pistons

installed on Teledyne Continental

Motors O–470 series reciprocating

engines. This proposal would require

removal from service of certain pistons.

This proposal is prompted by reports of

piston failures. The actions specified by

the proposed AD are intended to