Document ID: FAA-2013-1019-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: SOCATA Airplanes
Posted Date: 2013-12-04T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 233 (Wednesday, December 4, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 72834-72836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29006]

 ========================================================================
 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.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 4, 2013 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 72834]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-1019; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-038-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplanes. This proposed AD results from mandatory 
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated 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 landing gear actuator rod and piston becoming unscrewed 
during operation and the landing gear actuator ball joint becoming 
uncrimped. We are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to 
address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 21, 
2014.

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 proposed AD, contact 
SOCATA--Direction des Services--65921 Tarbes Cedex 9--France; telephone 
+33 (0) 62 41 7300, fax +33 (0) 62 41 76 54, or for North America: 
SOCATA NORTH AMERICA, 7501 South Airport Road, North Perry Airport, 
Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023; telephone: (954) 893-1400; fax: (954) 
964-4141; email: daher.com">mysocata@socata.daher.com; Internet: http://mysocata.com. You may review 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; 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 (telephone (800) 647-5527) is in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

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:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2013-1019; 
Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-038-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://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

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
AD No.: 2013-0227, dated September 23, 2013 (referred to after this as 
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified 
products. The MCAI states:

    During maintenance check, possible unscrewing of rod and piston 
during operation was detected on a landing gear actuator. 
Investigation showed that this was likely caused by maintenance 
operation not conforming with the procedure described in the SOCATA 
maintenance manual.
    Moreover, following in-service landing gear collapse, uncrimping 
of a right hand main landing gear (MLG) actuator ball joint was 
detected. Investigation revealed a manufacturing non-conformity of 
some actuator rod end assemblies.
    These conditions, if not detected and corrected, could lead to 
MLG or nose landing gear (NLG) failure during landing or roll-out 
and consequent damage to the aeroplane and injury to occupants.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, SOCATA issued 
Service Bulletin (SB) 70-197-32 to require a one-time inspection of 
the landing gear actuator piston/rod and SB 70-206-32 to require a 
one-time inspection of the landing gear actuator ball joint 
centering and, depending on findings, accomplishment of corrective 
actions.
    SOCATA also developed modification 70-0334-32, embodied in 
production to secure rod/piston assembly through addition of a pin 
and to reduce retraction/extension indication failure through 
improvement of switch kinematics. These modified actuators have a 
new part number (P/N).
    For the reasons described above, this AD requires a one-time 
inspection of the landing gear actuators piston/rod and ball joint 
centering and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable 
corrective actions.

    You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-
2013-1019.

Relevant Service Information

    SOCATA has issued DAHER-SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-
197, dated April 2013; and DAHER-SOCATA Mandatory Service

[[Page 72835]]

Bulletin SB 70-206, dated April 2013. The actions described in this 
service information are intended to correct the unsafe condition 
identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to our bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, they 
have notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and 
service information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because 
we evaluated all information and determined the unsafe condition exists 
and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type 
design.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 495 products of U.S. 
registry. We also estimate that it would take about 2 work-hours per 
product to comply with the basic requirements of this proposed AD. The 
average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.
    Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed AD on 
U.S. operators to be $84,150, or $170 per product.
    In addition, we estimate that any necessary follow-on actions would 
take about 3 work-hours for each main landing gear and 3 work-hours for 
the nose landing gear, and require parts costing $100 for each rod and 
assembly. We have no way of determining the number of products that may 
need these actions.

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 AD:

SOCATA: Docket No. FAA-2013-1019; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-
038-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by January 21, 2014.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to SOCATA TBM 700 airplanes, all serial numbers, 
certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 32: Landing 
Gear.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) originated 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 the landing gear 
actuator rod and piston becoming unscrewed during operation and the 
landing gear actuator ball joint becoming uncrimped. We are issuing 
this AD to detect and correct discrepancies in the pistons/rods and 
the ball joint centering of the nose landing gear and main landing 
gear, which could result in landing gear failure and lead to damage 
of the airplane and occupant injury.

(f) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, do the actions in paragraphs (f)(1) through 
(f)(4) of this AD on any airplane with the landing gear actuators 
part number (P/N) T700A3230050000, P/N T700A323005000000, or P/N 
T700A323005300000 installed:
    (1) Within the next 8 months after the effective date of this 
AD, perform a detailed visual inspection (DVI) of the pistons and 
rods of the nose landing gear (NLG) and left hand (LH) and right 
hand (RH) main landing gear (MLG) actuators and measure the distance 
following the Accomplishment Instructions paragraphs (A)(1) through 
(A)(4) in DAHER-SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-197, dated 
April 2013.
    (2) Within the next 8 months after the effective date of this 
AD, perform a DVI of the ball joint centering of the NLG and LH and 
RH MLG actuators and measure the ball joint mismatch following the 
Accomplishment Instructions paragraphs (A) through (C) in DAHER-
SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-206, dated April 2013.
    (3) If during any inspection required in paragraphs (f)(1) or 
(f)(2) of this AD any discrepancy is found, before further flight, 
replace the affected actuator or rod end assembly if applicable with 
an airworthy part following the Accomplishment Instructions in 
paragraph (A)(5) through (A)(10) and paragraph (B) of DAHER-SOCATA 
Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-197, dated April 2013; and/or 
paragraph (D) and (E) of DAHER-SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 
70-206, dated April 2013.
    (4) As of the effective date of this AD, do not install on any 
airplane a landing gear actuator P/N T700A3230050000, P/N 
T700A323005000000, or P/N T700A323005300000, unless it is found to 
be in compliance with the inspection requirements of paragraphs 
(f)(1) and (f)(2) of this AD. The landing gear actuator must be 
installed when doing these inspections.

(g) 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

[[Page 72836]]

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.

(h) Related Information

    Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD No.: 
2013-0227, dated September 23, 2013 for related information. You may 
examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2013-1019. For 
service information related to this AD, contact SOCATA--Direction 
des Services--65921 Tarbes Cedex 9--France; telephone +33 (0) 62 41 
7300, fax +33 (0) 62 41 76 54, or for North America: SOCATA NORTH 
AMERICA, 7501 South Airport Road, North Perry Airport, Pembroke 
Pines, Florida 33023; telephone: (954) 893-1400; fax: (954) 964-
4141; email: daher.com">mysocata@socata.daher.com; Internet: http://mysocata.com. You may review 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.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 27, 2013.
Earl Lawrence,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-29006 Filed 12-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P