Document ID: FAA-2016-9550-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes
Posted Date: 2017-01-03T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48-50]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30716]

 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 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.
 
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 

  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 1 / Tuesday, January 3, 2017 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 48]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-9550; Directorate Identifier 2016-CE-026-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, and 
PA-31-350 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by fatigue cracking 
in the fuselage station (FS) 332.00 bulkhead common to the horizontal 
stabilizer front spar attachment. This proposed AD would require 
repetitive inspections to detect cracks in the bulkhead and any 
necessary repairs. This proposed AD also provides an optional 
modification if no cracks are found that will greatly reduce the 
likelihood of the specified cracks. We are issuing this proposed AD to 
correct the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by February 17, 
2017.

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 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: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Piper 
Aircraft, Inc., Customer Service, 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 
32960; telephone: (877) 879-0275; fax: none; email: 
customer.service@piper.com; Internet: www.piper.com. 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.

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-2016-
9550; 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 proposed 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: Gregory ``Keith'' Noles, Aerospace 
Engineer, FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, 1701 Columbia 
Avenue, College Park, Georgia 30337; phone: (404) 474-5551; fax: (404) 
474-5606; email: gregory.noles@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2016-9550; 
Directorate Identifier 2016-CE-026-AD at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    We received reports of fatigue cracking in the FS 332.00 bulkhead 
common to the horizontal stabilizer front spar attachment on Piper 
Aircraft, Inc. PA-31 airplanes. Cracks in the bulkhead could compromise 
the structural component's capability to carry flight loads, increasing 
the potential to overload and fail adjacent structure. This proposed AD 
also provides an optional modification if no cracks are found that will 
greatly reduce the likelihood of the specified cracks. We are proposing 
this AD to detect and repair cracks in the bulkhead that could lead to 
structural failure and result in loss of control.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1289A, dated 
October 26, 2016. The service information describes procedures for the 
repetitive inspections, necessary repairs, and the optional 
modification of the bulkhead. 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.

FAA's Determination

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of these same type 
designs.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections to detect 
cracks in the bulkhead and any necessary repairs. This proposed AD also 
provides an optional modification if no cracks are found that will 
greatly reduce the likelihood of the specified cracks. We are proposing 
this AD to detect and repair cracks in the bulkhead, that could lead to 
structural failure and result in loss of control.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 955 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

[[Page 49]]

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
              Action                      Labor cost             Parts cost           product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspect for cracks in the bulkhead  1 work-hour x $85 per  Not Applicable.......             $85         $81,175
                                     hour = $85.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do any necessary repairs/
replacements that would be required based on the results of the 
proposed inspection. We have no way of determining the number of 
aircraft that might need these repairs/replacements:

                                               On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Cost per
                   Action                                 Labor cost                Parts cost        product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Repair/Modification........................  26 work-hours x $85 per hour =                 $296          $2,506
                                              $2,210.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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) Is not a ``significant rule'' under the 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.

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

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 adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

Piper Aircraft, Inc.: Docket No. FAA-2016-9550; Directorate 
Identifier 2016-CE-026-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by February 17, 2017.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Piper Aircraft, Inc. Navajo Models PA-31, PA-
31-300, and PA-31-325, serial numbers 31-2 through 31-900, and 31-
7300901 through 31-8312019; and Chieftain/T-1020 Models PA-31-350, 
serial numbers 31-5001 through 31-5004, and 31-7305005 through 31-
8553002, certificated in any category.

    Note 1 to paragraph (c) 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 5312: Fuselage--Main Bulkhead.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by fatigue cracking in the fuselage station 
(FS) 332.00 bulkhead common to the horizontal stabilizer front spar 
attachment. We are proposing repetitive inspections to detect cracks 
in the bulkhead and any necessary repairs. This proposed AD also 
provides an optional modification if no cracks are found that will 
greatly reduce the likelihood of the specified cracks. Cracks in the 
bulkhead could compromise the structural components capability to 
carry flight loads, increasing the potential to overload and fail 
adjacent structure and lead to loss of control.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with paragraphs (g)(1) through (3) of this AD within the 
compliance times specified, unless already done.

(g) Actions

    (1) For airplanes with 3,000 hours time-in-service (TIS) or less 
as of the effective date of this AD: Initially within 500 hours TIS 
after reaching 3,000 hours TIS and repetitively thereafter every 200 
hours TIS, inspect the fuselage station (FS) 332.00 bulkhead 
assembly for cracks following the instructions in Part I of Piper 
Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin (SB) No. 1289A, dated October 26, 
2016.
    (2) For airplanes with over 3,000 hours TIS as of the effective 
date of this AD: Initially within the next 500 hours TIS after the 
effective date of this AD and repetitively thereafter every 200 
hours TIS, inspect the FS 332.00 bulkhead assembly for cracks, 
following the instructions in Part I of Piper Aircraft, Inc. SB No. 
1289A, dated October 26, 2016.
    (3) If cracks are found during any of the inspections required 
in paragraphs (g)(1) or (2) of this AD, before further flight, 
repair the cracks following the modification instructions in Part II 
of Piper Aircraft, Inc. SB No. 1289A, dated October 26, 2016, and 
one of the following as applicable:
    (i) If the crack does not extend beyond the inspection/template 
area of Figure 2 of Piper

[[Page 50]]

Aircraft, Inc. SB No. 1289A, dated October 26, 2016, and meets the 
minimum acceptable distance in Figure 3 and Table 2 of Part II of 
Piper Aircraft, Inc. SB No. 1289A, dated October 26, 2016, then the 
installation of Piper Kit 88578-001 Revision B, dated June 23, 2016, 
is acceptable as a repair and is considered terminating action for 
the repetitive inspection requirement in paragraphs (g)(1) and (2) 
of this AD.
    (ii) If the crack extends beyond the inspection/template area of 
Figure 2 of Piper Aircraft, Inc. SB No. 1289A, dated October 26, 
2016, or does not meet the minimum acceptable distance in Figure 3 
and Table 2 of Part II of Piper Aircraft, Inc. SB No. 1289A, dated 
October 26, 2016, then the installation of Piper Kit 88578-001 
Revision B, dated June 23, 2016, is not an acceptable repair. You 
must obtain an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) for any 
repair or modification in this area. You may contact Piper Aircraft, 
Inc. for repair instruction development specific to this condition. 
For contact information refer to paragraph (j) of this AD.
    (4) If no cracks are found, you may install Piper Kit 88578-001 
Revision B, dated June 23, 2016, on an uncracked bulkhead following 
the Modification instructions in Part II of Piper Aircraft, Inc. SB 
No. 1289A, dated October 26, 2016. Installation of Piper Kit 88578-
001 Revision B, dated June 23, 2016, on an uncracked bulkhead is 
considered terminating action for the repetitive inspection 
requirement in paragraphs (g)(1) and (2) of this AD.

(h) Special Flight Permit

    A special flight permit is allowed for this AD per 14 CFR 39.23 
with limitations. Permits are not allowed if cracks are discovered 
during any inspection following Part I of Piper Aircraft, Inc. SB 
No. 1289A, dated October 26, 2016. Any cracks found during any 
inspection must be repaired before further flight.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, 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 paragraph (k) 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.

(j) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Gregory 
``Keith'' Noles, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Atlanta Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia 
30337; phone: (404) 474-5551; fax: (404) 474-5606; email: 
gregory.noles@faa.gov.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact Piper 
Aircraft, Inc., Customer Service, 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, 
Florida 32960; telephone: (877) 879-0275; fax: none; email: 
customer.service@piper.com; Internet: www.piper.com. You may review 
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.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 13, 2016.
Robert P. Busto,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-30716 Filed 12-30-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P