[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 107 (Monday, June 5, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29513-29514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13626]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 95-CE-23-AD]


Airworthiness Directives; Beech Aircraft Corporation Models 60 
and A60 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 60 and A60 airplanes. The proposed action would require 
incorporating flight manual supplement revisions into the Airplane 
Flight Manual (AFM) that would specify a minimum airspeed for operating 
the affected airplanes in icing conditions. Reports of several 
incidents and accidents on the affected airplanes related to flight in 
icing conditions prompted the proposed action. The actions specified by 
the proposed AD are intended to prevent loss of control of the airplane 
because of the airplane traveling too slow in icing conditions.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 4, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief 
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-23-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. Bennett L. Sorensen, Flight Test 
Pilot, FAA, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, 
Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone (316) 946-4165; 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. 95-CE-23-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. 95-CE-23-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    The FAA has received reports of four icing-related occurrences (one 
incident and three fatal accidents) involving Beech Models 60 and A60 
airplanes. Investigation of these occurrences revealed that, in two of 
the accidents, the airplane was traveling too slow for icing 
conditions.
    The Model 60 and A60 Pilot's Operating Handbook/Airplane Flight 
Manual (POH/AFM), including the FAA-approved sections, contains no 
specification or precautionary performance advisory regarding the 
appropriate minimum airspeed to maintain while operating in icing 
conditions.
    Beech recently issued AFM supplement ``FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING 
CONDITIONS'', Revised: January 1995, part number (P/N) 60-590001-17. 
This AFM supplement establishes a minimum airspeed for operating Beech 
Models 60 and A60 airplanes in icing conditions.
    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 loss of control of 
the airplane because of the airplane traveling too slow in icing 
conditions.
    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop in other Beech Models 60 and A60 airplanes of the same 
type design, the proposed AD would require incorporating AFM supplement 
``FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS'', Revised: January 1995, part 
number (P/N) 60-590001-17, into the applicable AFM.
    The compliance time of the proposed AD is presented in calendar 
time instead of hours time-in-service. Although the unsafe condition 
develops as a result of airplane usage, it cannot develop unless the 
airplane travels too slow in icing conditions. Therefore, to ensure 
that all owners/operators of the affected airplanes incorporate the 
minimum airspeed in icing conditions flight manual supplement revisions 
in a reasonable amount of time, a compliance based on calendar time is 
proposed.
    The FAA estimates that 243 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take less than 1 workhour 
per airplane to accomplish the proposed action. Since an owner/operator 
who holds a private pilot's certificate as authorized by sections 43.7 
and 43.11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7 and 43.11) 
can accomplish this action, the [[Page 29514]] only cost impact upon 
the public is the time it takes to incorporate these AFM supplement 
revisions.
    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. 95-CE-23-AD.

    Applicability: Models 60 and A60 airplanes, serial numbers P-4 
through P-246, certificated in any category.

    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 use the authority 
provided in paragraph (d) of this AD to request approval from the 
FAA. This approval may address either no action, if the current 
configuration eliminates the unsafe condition, or different actions 
necessary to address the unsafe condition described in this AD. Such 
a request should include an assessment of the effect of the changed 
configuration on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no 
case does the presence of any modification, alteration, or repair 
remove any airplane from the applicability of this AD.

    Compliance: Required within the next 60 calendar days after the 
effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
    To prevent loss of control of the airplane because of the 
airplane traveling too slow in icing conditions, accomplish the 
following:
    (a) Incorporate Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) supplement ``FLIGHT 
IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS'', Revised: January 1995, part number (P/
N) 60-590001-17, into the AFM, P/N 60-590000-5 or P/N 60--590000-11, 
as applicable.
    (b) Incorporating the AFM supplement ``FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING 
CONDITIONS'', Revised: January 1995, part number (P/N) 60-590001-17, 
as required by this AD may be performed by the owner/operator 
holding at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by 
section 43.7 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7), and 
must be entered into the aircraft records showing compliance with 
this AD in accordance with section 43.11 of the Federal Aviation 
Regulations (14 CFR 43.11).
    (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 
compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be 
approved by the Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209. The 
request should be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance 
Inspector, who may add comments and 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.

    (e) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of 
the AFM revision referred to herein upon request to Beech Aircraft 
Corporation, P.O. Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 67201-0085; or may examine 
these documents 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 May 26, 1995.
Henry A. Armstrong,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-13626 Filed 6-2-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U