[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 193 (Thursday, October 5, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 52130-52131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24712]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 193 / Thursday, October 5, 1995 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 52130]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 95-CE-59-AD]
Airworthiness Directives; Air Tractor, Incorporated Models AT-802
and AT-802A 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 Air Tractor, Incorporated (Air Tractor) Models
AT-802 and AT-802A airplanes. The proposed action would require
repetitively replacing the main landing gear legs. Failure of the main
landing gear legs on an AT-802A in the field prompted the proposed
action. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to
prevent possible failure of the main landing gear legs, which, if not
detected and corrected, could result in loss of control of the landing
operations of the airplane.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 5, 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-59-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 Air Tractor Incorporated, P. O. Box 485, Olney, Texas 76374;
telephone (817) 564-5616; facsimile (817) 564-2348. This information
also may be examined at the Rules Docket at the address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob May, Aerospace Engineer, FAA,
Aircraft Certification Office, 2601 Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth,
Texas 76193-0150; telephone (817) 222-5155; 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-59-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-59-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
The FAA received a report of the collapse of an Air Tractor AT-802A
airplane equipped with 1.56-inch thick main landing gear legs, part
number (P/N) 40091-2. The investigation revealed that the parked AT-
802A airplane's main landing gear failed after having made
approximately 3,500 landings. There was slight rust under the clamp
block where the failure started. This failure of the main landing gear
legs in the field has prompted a re-evaluation of the fatigue life of
the legs presented in the life limited parts section of the Airplane
Maintenance Manual, Airworthiness Limitations Section, defined by
section 23.159 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 23.159). The
1.56-inch thick landing gear legs were heat treated to a higher
ultimate tensile stress. This higher than normal heat treatment has
made them more brittle than gears used on other Air Tractor models.
Air Tractor has issued Service Bulletin (SB) 104A, dated July 29,
1995, which specifies procedures for replacing the main landing gear
legs on Models AT-802 and AT 802A 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 possible failure
of the main landing gear legs, which, if not detected and corrected,
could result in loss of control of the landing operations and possible
loss of the airplane.
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop in other Air Tractor Models AT-802 and AT-802A
airplanes of the same type design, the proposed AD would require
replacing the main landing gear legs every 3,000 landings.
The FAA estimates that 18 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 12 hours
per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the average
labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost approximately
$2,816 per airplane. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of
the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $63,648 ($3,536
per airplane). This figure is based on the assumption that no affected
airplane owner/operator has replaced the main landing gear legs and
does not take into account the number of repetitive replacements each
operator would incur over the life of the airplane. The FAA has no way
of determining how many main landing gear replacements each owner/
operator will incur.
The regulations proposed herein would not have substantial direct
effects on the States, on the relationship
[[Page 52131]]
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 airworthiness directive
(AD) to read as follows:
Air Tractor Incorporated: Docket No. 95-CE-59-AD.
Applicability: Model AT-802 and AT-802A Airplanes (all serial
numbers), 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 request approval for an
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (c) of
this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of
the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition
addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been
eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to
address it. Compliance: Required upon the accumulation of 3,000
landings or within the next 25 landings after the effective date of
this AD, whichever occurs later, unless already accomplished, and
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 3,000 landings.
Note 2: If the number of landings is not known, calculate by
multiplying three landings per one hour time-in service.
To prevent possible failure of the main landing gear legs,
which, if not detected and corrected, could result in loss of
control of landing operations and possible loss of the airplane,
accomplish the following:
(a) Replace the main landing gear legs, Air Tractor part number
40091-2, in accordance with Air Tractor Service Bulletin (SB) 104A,
dated July 29, 1995.
(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
initial or repetitive compliance times that provides an equivalent
level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Fort Worth Aircraft
Certification Office, FAA, Aircraft Certification Office, 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
Aircraft Certification Office.
Note 3: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Fort Worth Aircraft Certification Office.
(d) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of
the document referred to herein upon request to Air Tractor
Incorporated, P. O. Box 485, Olney, Texas 76374; telephone (817)
564-5616; facsimile (817) 564-2348 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 September 28, 1995.
John R. Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Aircraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-24712 Filed 10-4-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U