[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 151 (Monday, August 7, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40118-40120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-18713]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 95-CE-25-AD]


Airworthiness Directives; Fairchild Aircraft SA226 Series 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) that would apply to certain Fairchild Aircraft SA226 series 
airplanes equipped with a part number (P/N) 27-5500-229 actuator 
assembly. The proposed action would require replacing the main landing 
gear door actuator tang and associated hardware with parts of improved 
design. Reports of the main landing gear doors hanging up and locking 
the landing gear links on the affected airplanes prompted the proposed 
action. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to 
prevent the inability to extend the main landing gear because of the 
main landing gear door actuation roller contacting the lower edge of 
the tang and causing the linkage to lock over-center.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 29, 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-25-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 (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, 

[[Page 40119]]
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-25-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-25-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    The FAA has received reports of three incidents where the main 
landing gear door actuation roller on Fairchild Aircraft SA226 series 
airplanes contacted the lower edge of the main landing gear door lower 
tang. This caused the main landing gear linkage to go over-center 
during retraction, which locked the linkage and prevented main landing 
gear extension.
    Fairchild Service Bulletin (SB) 226-32-059, Issued: February 14, 
1991, specifies procedures for replacing the main landing gear door 
tangs and associated hardware on Fairchild Aircraft SA226 series 
airplanes with parts of improved design, part numbers 27-55001-299 and 
27-55001-301.
    After examining the circumstances and reviewing all available 
information related to the incidents described above including the 
service information, the FAA has determined that AD action should be 
taken to prevent the inability to extend the main landing gear because 
of the main landing gear door actuation roller contacting the lower 
edge of the tang and causing the linkage to lock over-center.
    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop in other Fairchild Aircraft SA226 series airplanes of 
the same type design that are equipped with a P/N 27-5500-229 actuator 
assembly, the proposed AD would require replacing the main landing gear 
door tangs and associated hardware with parts of improved design. 
Accomplishment of the proposed action would be in accordance with 
Fairchild Aircraft SB 226-32-059, Issued: February 14, 1991.
    The FAA estimates that 307 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 $114 (two main landing gear door actuator tang kits per 
airplane at $57 each) per airplane. Based on these figures, the total 
cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be 
$108,678.
    Fairchild Aircraft has informed the FAA that enough main landing 
gear door actuator tang kits have been distributed to equip 11 of the 
affected airplanes (22 kits). Assuming each of these kits is installed 
on an affected airplane, the cost impact upon U.S. operators of the 
affected airplanes would be reduced $3,894 from $108,678 to $104,784.
    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 USC 106(g), 40101, 40113, 44701.


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-25-AD.

    Applicability: The following airplane models and serial numbers 
that are equipped with a part number (P/N) 27-5500-229 actuator 
assembly, certificated in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Model                             Serial Nos.                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SA226-T..............  T201 through T275 and T277 through T291.         
SA226-T(B)...........  T(B) 276 and T(B) 292 through T(B) 417.          
SA226-AT.............  AT001 through AT074.                             
SA226-TC.............  TC201 through TC419.                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 

[[Page 40120]]
repair remove any airplane from the applicability of this AD.

    Compliance: Required within the next 1,000 hours time-in-service 
after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
    To prevent the inability to extend the main landing gear because 
of the main landing gear door actuation roller contacting the lower 
edge of the tang and causing the linkage to lock over-center, 
accomplish the following:
    (a) Replace the main landing gear door actuator tangs and 
associated hardware, part numbers 27-55001-249 and 27-55001-250, 
with new tangs and hardware of improved design, part numbers 27-
55001-299 and 27-55001-301. Accomplish this replacement in 
accordance with the ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS section of Fairchild 
Aircraft Service Bulletin 226-32-059, Issued: February 14, 1991.
    (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 bulletin referred to herein upon request to Fairchild 
Aircraft, P.O. Box 790490, San Antonio, Texas 78279-0490; or may 
examine this service bulletin 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 July 25, 1995.
Henry A. Armstrong,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-18713 Filed 8-4-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U