[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]
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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).
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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:
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Model Serial Nos.
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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.
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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
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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