[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 162 (Friday, August 21, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44818-44819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22542]
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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. 63, No. 162 / Friday, August 21, 1998 /
Proposed Rules
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 97-CE-139-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Aerostar Aircraft Corporation PA-60-600
and PA-60-700 Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive
(AD) that would apply to all Aerostar Aircraft Corporation (Aerostar)
PA-60-600 and PA-60-700 series airplanes. The proposed AD would require
repetitively inspecting the forward face of each wing's 55-percent
upper spar cap for cracks above the main landing gear fitting in the
top of the wheel well, and replacing or repairing any cracked upper
spar cap. The proposed AD is the result of reports of spanwise cracks
in the area above the main landing gear attachment on two of the
affected airplanes. The actions specified by the proposed AD are
intended to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the wing upper spar
cap, which could result in structural failure of the wing spar to the
point of failure with consequent loss of control of the airplane.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 13, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 97-CE-139-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.
Service information that applies to the proposed AD may be obtained
from the Aerostar Aircraft Corporation, 3608 S. Davison Boulevard,
Spokane, Washington 99224-5799; telephone: (509) 455-8872, facsimile:
(509) 838-0831. This information also may be examined at the Rules
Docket at the address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard N. Simonson, Aerospace
Engineer, FAA, Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW,
Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone: (425) 227-2597; facsimile:
(425) 227-1181.
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. 97-CE-139-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 Regional Counsel, Attention:
Rules Docket No. 97-CE-139-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas
City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
The FAA has received two reports of spanwise cracks in the area
above the main landing gear attachment on Aerostar PA-60-600 and PA-60-
700 series airplanes. In particular these cracks are occurring in the
55-percent upper spar cap area above the main landing gear fitting in
the top of the wheel well.
This condition, if not detected and corrected in a timely manner,
could result in structural failure of the wing spar to the point of
failure with consequent loss of control of the airplane.
Relevant Service Information
Aerostar has issued Service Bulletin SB600-132, dated September 3,
1997, which specifies procedures for inspecting the forward face of
each wing's 55-percent upper spar cap for cracks above the main landing
gear fitting in the top of the wheel well.
The FAA's Determination
After examining the circumstances and reviewing all available
information related to the incidents described above, the FAA has
determined that AD action should be taken to detect and correct fatigue
cracking of the wing upper spar cap. If not detected and corrected,
cracking of the wing upper spar cap could result in structural failure
of the wing spar to the point of failure with consequent loss of
control of the airplane.
Explanation of the Provisions of the Proposed AD
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop in other Aerostar Models PA-60-600, PA-60-601, PA-60-
601P, PA-60-602P, and PA-60-700P airplanes of the same type design, the
FAA is proposing AD action. The proposed AD would require repetitively
inspecting the forward face of each wing's 55-percent upper spar cap
for cracks above the main landing gear fitting in the top of the wheel
well, and replacing or repairing any cracked upper spar cap.
Accomplishment of the proposed inspections would be required in
accordance with Aerostar Service Bulletin SB600-132, dated September 3,
1997. The proposed repair (if necessary) would be required to be
accomplished in accordance with an FAA-approved
[[Page 44819]]
repair scheme. Accomplishment of the proposed replacement (if
necessary) would be required in accordance with the applicable
maintenance manual.
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 600 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 2
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed initial inspection,
and that the average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Based on
these figures, the total cost impact of the initial inspection
specified in the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be
$72,000, or $120 per airplane.
These figures only take into account the costs of the proposed
initial inspection and do not take into account the costs of repetitive
inspections and the costs associated with any repair that would be
necessary if cracks are found. The FAA has no way of determining the
number of repetitive inspections an owner/operator will incur over the
life of the airplane, or the number of airplanes that will need
replacement or repair.
Regulatory Impact
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, 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.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive
(AD) to read as follows:
Aerostar Aircraft Corporation: Docket No. 97-CE-139-AD.
Applicability: All serial numbers of the following airplane
models, certificated in any category:
PA-60-600 (Aerostar 600)
PA-60-601P (Aerostar 601P)
PA-60-700P (Aerostar 700P)
PA-60-601 (Aerostar 601)
PA-60-602P (Aerostar 602P)
Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane 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 airplanes 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 (d) 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 in the body of this AD, unless
already accomplished.
To detect and correct fatigue cracking of the wing upper spar
cap, which could result in structural failure of the wing spar to
the point of failure with consequent loss of control of the
airplane, accomplish the following:
(a) Within the next 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the
effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished, and
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 hours TIS, inspect the
forward face of each wing's 55-percent upper spar cap for cracks
above the main landing gear fitting in the top of the wheel well.
Accomplish this inspection in accordance with the INSTRUCTIONS
section of Aerostar Service Bulletin SB600-132, dated September 3,
1997. The initial inspection must be accomplished using dye
penetrant methods and all subsequent inspections must be, at the
very least, visual inspections.
(b) If any crack(s) is/are found during any inspection required
by paragraph (a) of this AD, prior to further flight, accomplish
either paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this AD (below):
(1) Replace the upper spar cap in accordance with the applicable
maintenance manual, and continue to repetitively inspect as required
by paragraph (a) of this AD; or
(2) Obtain a repair scheme from the manufacturer through the
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, at the address specified in
paragraph (d) of this AD; incorporate this scheme; and continue to
repetitively inspect as required by paragraph (a) of this AD, unless
specified differently in the instructions to the repair scheme.
(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, Seattle Aircraft
Certification Office (ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue, SW, Renton, Washington
98055-4056. The request shall be forwarded through an appropriate
FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to
the Manager, Seattle ACO.
Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Seattle ACO.
(e) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of
the document referred to herein upon request to the Aerostar
Aircraft Corporation, 3608 S. Davison Boulevard, Spokane, Washington
99224-5799; or may examine this document at the FAA, Central Region,
Office of the Regional Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 13, 1998.
Michael Gallagher,
Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 98-22542 Filed 8-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
