[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 115 (Thursday, June 15, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31419-31421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14637]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 95-CE-01-AD]


Airworthiness Directives; Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and SA227 
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 certain Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and SA227 
series airplanes. The proposed action would require installing foreign 
object damage (FOD) barriers in the floorboards of the cockpit between 
the pedestal and floor from Fuselage Station (FS) 79.38 to FS 88.06 and 
on the outboard forward edge of the left-hand and right-hand cockpit 
forward floorboards at FS 79.38. Two incidents of objects falling 
through openings of the cockpit floor and jamming the elevator controls 
and the yoke prompted the proposed action. The actions specified by the 
proposed AD are intended to prevent airplane flight control jammings 
caused by objects falling through the cockpit floor openings.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 21, 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-01-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 Fairchild Aircraft, P.O. Box 790490, San Antonio, Texas 78279-
0490; telephone [[Page 31420]] (210) 824-9421. This information also 
may be examined at the Rules Docket at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Werner Koch, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Airplane Certification Office, 2601 Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth, 
Texas 76193-0150; telephone (817) 222-5133; facsimile (817) 222-5960.

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-01-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-01-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    The FAA has received reports of two incidents of flight control 
jammings on Fairchild Aircraft SA227 series airplanes caused by objects 
falling through openings of the cockpit floor.
    In one instance, the air vent in the cockpit broke and the ball 
section of the vent fell through one of the openings in the floor and 
lodged in the elevator control linkage. The airplane crew experienced a 
momentary restriction in elevator control during a pre-flight control 
check. In the other instance, a bottle (Coca-Cola) fell through one of 
the floor openings and jammed the yoke until the crew overcame the jam 
by breaking the bottle.
    These openings are located in the floorboards of the cockpit of 
Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and SA227 series airplanes between the 
pedestal and floor from Fuselage Station (FS) 79.38 to FS 88.06 and on 
the outboard forward edge of the left-hand and right-hand cockpit 
forward floorboards at FS 79.38.
    Fairchild Aircraft has issued Service Bulletin (SB) 226-53-012, SB 
227-53-005, and SB CC7-53-002, all Issued: September 22, 1994. These 
service bulletins contain procedures for installing cockpit floorboard 
foreign object damage (FOD) barriers on Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and 
SA227 series airplanes in the areas referenced above.
    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 airplane flight 
control jammings caused by objects falling through the cockpit floor 
openings.
    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop in other Fairchild Aircraft SA226 and SA227 series 
airplanes of the same type design, the proposed AD would require 
installing FOD barriers in the floorboards of the cockpit between the 
pedestal and floor from FS 79.38 to FS 88.06 and on the outboard 
forward edge of the left-hand and right-hand cockpit forward 
floorboards at FS 79.38. Accomplishment of the proposed action would be 
in accordance with Fairchild SB 226-53-012, Fairchild SB 227-53-005, or 
Fairchild SB CC7-53-002, all Issued: September 22, 1994, as applicable.
    The FAA estimates that 855 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 4 
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the 
average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost 
approximately $50 per airplane. Based on these figures, the total cost 
impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be 
$247,950. This figure is based on the assumption that no affected 
airplane owner/operator has incorporated the proposed modification. 
Parts have not been distributed to any owner/operator of the affected 
airplanes.
    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:

Fairchild Aircraft: Docket No. 95-CE-01-AD.

    Applicability: The following airplane models and serial numbers, 
certificated in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Model                           Serial numbers      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SA226-T.....................................  All serial numbers.       
SA226-T(B)..................................  All serial numbers.       
SA226-AT....................................  All serial numbers.       
SA226-TC....................................  All serial numbers.       
SA227-AT....................................  All serial numbers.       
SA227-AC....................................  All serial numbers.       
SA227-BC....................................  All serial numbers.       
SA227-TT....................................  All serial numbers.       
[[Page 31421]]
                                                                        
SA227-CC....................................  CC784 and CC790 through   
                                               CC863.                   
SA227-DC....................................  DC784 and DC790 through   
                                               DC863.                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------

  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 (c) 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 600 hours time-in-service 
after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
    To prevent airplane flight control jammings caused by objects 
falling through the cockpit floor openings, accomplish the 
following:
    (a) Install foreign object damage (FOD) barriers in the 
floorboards of the cockpit between the pedestal and floor from 
Fuselage Station (FS) 79.38 to FS 88.06 and on the outboard forward 
edge of the left-hand and right-hand cockpit forward floorboards at 
FS 79.38. Accomplish this action in accordance with the 
ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS section of either Fairchild Service 
Bulletin (SB) 226-53-012, Fairchild SB 227-53-005, or Fairchild SB 
CC7-53-002, all Issued: September 22, 1994, as applicable.
    (b) 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.
    (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, Airplane Certification Office (ACO), FAA, 
2601 Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0150. The request 
shall be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, 
who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Fort Worth 
ACO.

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

    (d) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of 
the service bulletins referred to herein upon request to Fairchild 
Aircraft, P.O. Box 790490, San Antonio, Texas 78279-0490; or may 
examine these service bulletins 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 June 9, 1995.
Gerald W. Pierce,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-14637 Filed 6-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U