[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26372]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 25, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 94-CE-07-AD]

 

Airworthiness Directives; Beech Aircraft Corporation Models 34C, 
T-34C, and T-34C-1 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 certain Beech Aircraft Corporation (Beech) 
Models 34C, T-34C, and T-34C-1 airplanes. The proposed action would 
require replacing the eight wing attachment steel bolts and hardware 
with Inconel bolts and hardware. A report of the right lower aft wing 
attachment nut assembly separating in two pieces on a Model T-34C-1 
airplane prompted the proposed action. The actions specified by the 
proposed AD are intended to prevent the wing from separating from the 
fuselage because of failure of this assembly.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 30, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief 
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 94-CE-07-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 Beech Aircraft Corporation, P.O. Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 
67201-0085. This information also may be examined at the Rules Docket 
at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Larry Engler, Aerospace Engineer, 
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Mid-
Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone (316) 946-4122; 
facsimile (316) 946-4407.

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. 94-CE-07-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. 94-CE-07-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    The FAA has received a report of the right lower aft wing 
attachment nut assembly separating in two pieces on a Beech Model T-
34C-1 airplane. Laboratory investigation of the nut assembly revealed 
that stress corrosion caused the failure. If the separated assembly is 
not detected and corrected, and is operated in that condition, the wing 
could separate from the fuselage.
    Beech has issued Service Bulletin (SB) No. 2487, dated August 1993, 
which specifies procedures for installing Inconel wing attachment 
hardware on Models 34C, T-34C, and T-34C-1 airplanes.
    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 prevent the wing from 
separating from the fuselage because of failure of this assembly.
    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop in other Beech 34C, T-34C, and T-34C-1 airplanes of 
the same type design, the proposed AD would require replacing the eight 
wing attachment steel bolts and hardware with Inconel bolts and 
hardware. The proposed actions would be accomplished in accordance with 
Beech SB No. 2487, dated August 1993.
    The compliance time for the proposed AD is presented in calendar 
time instead of hours time-in- service (TIS). The FAA has determined 
that a calendar time for compliance is the most desirable method 
because the unsafe condition described by the proposed AD is caused by 
stress corrosion. Stress corrosion initiates as a result of airplane 
operation, but can continue to develop regardless of whether the 
airplane is in service or in storage. Therefore, to ensure that the 
above-referenced condition is detected and corrected on all airplanes 
within a reasonable period of time without inadvertently grounding any 
airplanes, a compliance schedule based upon calendar time instead of 
hours TIS is proposed.
    The FAA estimates that 494 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 8 
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the 
average labor rate is approximately $55 an hour. Parts cost 
approximately $800 per airplane. Based on these figures, the total cost 
impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be 
$612,560. This figure is based on the assumption that no affected 
airplane owners/operator has accomplished the proposed replacement.
    The Beech Aircraft Company has informed the FAA that 89 wing 
attachment assembly kits have been sold. Assuming that each of these 
kits is installed on an affected airplane, this would reduce the cost 
impact of the proposed AD upon U.S. operators of the affected airplanes 
by $110,360 from $612,560 to $502,200.
    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. App. 1354(a), 1421 and 1423; 49 U.S.C. 
106(g); and 14 CFR 11.89.


Sec. 39.13  [Amended]

    2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new AD to read as follows:

Beech Aircraft Corporation: Docket No. 94-CE-07-AD.

    Applicability: The following model and serial number airplanes, 
certificated in any category, that have steel wing attachment 
assembly bolts and hardware: 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Model                              Serial Nos.                      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
34C...........  GP-1 through GP-50.                                     
T-34C.........  GL-2 through GL-353.                                    
T-34C-1.......  GM-1 through GM-71 and GM-78 through GM-98.             
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Compliance: Within whichever of the following occurs later, 
unless already accomplished:
     Four years after airplane manufacture;
     Four years after installing a new wing attachment 
assembly; or
     Within the next 30 calendar days after the effective 
date of this AD.

    To prevent the wing from separating from the fuselage because of 
failure of the wing attachment nut assembly, accomplish the 
following:
    (a) Replace all eight steel wing attach bolts and hardware with 
Inconel bolts and hardware in accordance with the ACCOMPLISHMENT 
INSTRUCTIONS section in Beech Service Bulletin No. 2487, dated 
August 1993.

    Note 1: Replacing all eight steel wing attach bolts and hardware 
with Inconel bolts and hardware as required by this AD eliminates 
the repetitive inspection requirements of AD 85-22-05, Amendment 39-
5146, for the affected airplanes.

    (b) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with 
Secs. 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.
    (c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be 
approved by the Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Mid-Continent Airport, Wichita, 
Kansas 67209. The request shall be forwarded through an appropriate 
FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to 
the Manager, Wichita ACO.

    Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the Wichita ACO.

    (d) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of 
the document referred to herein upon request to the Beech Aircraft 
Corporation, P.O. Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 67201-0085; or may examine 
this document at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant 
Chief Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 19, 1994.
John R. Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 94-26372 Filed 10-24-94; 8:45 am]
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