E8-16583. Airworthiness Directives; Cessna Aircraft Company Models 175 and 175A Airplanes

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Models 175 and 175A airplanes. This AD requires you to check the airplane logbook to determine if the original engine mounting brackets have been replaced. If the original engine mounting brackets are still installed, this AD requires you to repetitively inspect those brackets for cracks and replace any cracked engine mounting bracket. After replacing all four original engine mounting brackets, no further action will be required by this AD. This AD was prompted by a report that the engine became detached from the firewall during landing on one of the affected airplanes. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the engine mounting brackets, which could result in failure of the engine mounting bracket. This failure could lead to the engine detaching from the firewall.

DATES:

This AD becomes effective on September 2, 2008.

On September 2, 2008, the Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD.

ADDRESSES:

For service information identified in this AD, contact Cessna Aircraft Company, Product Support, P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, Kansas 67277; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone].

To view the AD docket, go to U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. The docket number is FAA-2007-29240; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-076-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gary Park, Aerospace Engineer, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

On March 31, 2008, we issued a proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that would apply to certain Cessna Models 175 and 175A airplanes. This proposal was published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on April 8, 2008 (73 FR 19017). The NPRM proposed to require you to check the airplane logbook to determine if the original engine mounting brackets have been replaced. If the original engine mounting brackets are still installed, the NPRM proposed to require you to repetitively inspect those brackets for cracks and replace any cracked engine mounting bracket. After replacing all four original engine mounting brackets, no further action would be required by the NPRM.

Comments

We provided the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the proposal or on the determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed except for minor editorial corrections. We have determined that these minor corrections:

• Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and
• Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed in the NPRM.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD affects 1,218 airplanes in the U.S. registry.

We estimate the following costs to do the inspection:

Labor cost	Parts cost	Total cost per airplane	Total cost on U.S. operators
7.5 work-hours × $80 per hour = $600	Not applicable	$600	$730,800

We estimate the following costs to do any necessary replacements:

Labor cost	Parts cost	Total cost per airplane
3 work-hours per bracket × $80 per hour = $240 per bracket. 4 brackets per airplane × $240 per bracket = $960	$200 per bracket. 4 × $200 = $800 for all 4 brackets	$440 per bracket. $1,760 to replace all 4 brackets.

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 AD.

Regulatory Findings

We have 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 that this AD:

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. 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 summary of the costs to comply with this AD (and other information as included in the Regulatory Evaluation) and placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by sending a request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include “Docket No. FAA-2007-29240; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-076-AD” in your request.

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 Federal Aviation Administration amends 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. FAA amends § 39.13 by adding the following new AD:

2008-15-06 Cessna Aircraft Company: Amendment 39-15618; Docket No. FAA-2007-29240; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-076-AD.

Effective Date

(a) This AD becomes effective on September 2, 2008.

Affected ADs

(b) None.

Applicability

(c) This AD applies to the following airplane models and serial numbers that are certificated in any category:

Model	Serial Nos.	Year manufactured
(1) 175	55001 through 55703	1958.
(2) 175	55704 through 56238	1959.
(3) 175	28700A, 626, and 640	1958 and 1959.
(4) 175A	691, and 56239 through 56777	1960.

Unsafe Condition

(d) A report that the engine became unattached from the firewall during landing on one of the affected airplanes prompts this AD. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the engine mounting brackets, which could result in failure of the engine mounting bracket. This failure could lead to the engine detaching from the firewall.

Compliance

(e) To address this problem, you must do the following, unless already done:

Actions	Compliance	Procedures
(1) Check the airplane logbook to determine if all four of the original engine mounting brackets have been replaced	Within the next 30 days after September 2, 2008 (the effective date of this AD)	The owner/operator holding at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by section 43.7 may do this action.
(2) If you can positively determine that all four of the original engine mounting brackets have been replaced, no further action is required	Not applicable	Make an entry into the aircraft logbook showing compliance with this portion of the AD in accordance with 14 CFR 43.9. The owner/operator holding at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by section 43.7 may do this action.
(3) If you cannot positively determine that all four of the original engine mounting brackets have been replaced, inspect each of the upper and lower engine mounting brackets on both the left and right sides for cracks as specified in the service bulletin	Initially inspect within the next 12 months after September 2, 2008 (the effective date of this AD). If no cracks are found, repetitively inspect thereafter at intervals not to exceed 500 hours time-in-service (TIS) until all four of the original engine mounting brackets are replaced	Follow Cessna Single Engine Service Bulletin SEB07-2, Revision 2, dated June 18, 2007.
(4) If cracks are found in any of the engine mounting brackets during any inspection required in paragraph (e)(3) of this AD, replace the cracked engine mounting bracket(s)	Before further flight after the inspection in which cracks are found. Replacing the cracked engine mounting bracket terminates the repetitive inspection required in paragraph (e)(3) of this AD only for the replaced engine mounting bracket	Follow Cessna Single Engine Service Bulletin SEB07-2, Revision 2, dated June 18, 2007.
(5) To terminate the repetitive inspections required in paragraph (e)(3) of this AD, you may replace all four original engine mounting brackets	At any time before or after the initial inspection required in paragraph (e)(3) of this AD	Follow Cessna Single Engine Service Bulletin SEB07-2, Revision 2, dated June 18, 2007.
(6) Dispose of every replaced bracket following 14 CFR 43.10, paragraph (c)(6), which states the following: “Mutilation. The part may be mutilated to deter its installation in a type certificated product. The mutilation must render the part beyond repair and incapable of being reworked to appear to be airworthy”	Before further flight after the engine mounting bracket is removed for replacement	Not applicable.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

(f) The Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 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: Gary Park, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Wichita ACO, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; e-mail address: [e-mail]. 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.

Material Incorporated by Reference

(g) You must use Cessna Single Engine Service Bulletin SEB07-2, Revision 2, dated June 18, 2007, to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.

(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of this service information under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.

(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact Cessna Aircraft Company, Product Support, P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, Kansas 67277.

(3) You may review copies at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; or at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, 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 July 15, 2008.

Kim Smith,

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.