[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 250 (Friday, December 27, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 68132-68134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31608]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 96-NM-135-AD; Amendment 39-9857; AD 96-25-14]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, -30,
and -40 Series Airplanes, and KC-10 (Military) Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD),
applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, -30, and -40
series airplanes, and KC-10 (military) series airplanes, that requires
repetitive high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections to detect
cracks in the number 4 banjo fitting on the rear spar of the vertical
stabilizer, and repair and modification of the vertical stabilizer, if
necessary. It also requires the installation of a modification as
terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This amendment is
prompted by reports of failed attach
[[Page 68133]]
bolts and cracking found in the area of the number 4 banjo fitting,
which were caused by higher than normal operating stresses. The actions
specified by this AD are intended to prevent reduction in the
structural integrity of this fitting due to failed bolts and cracking.
DATES: Effective January 31, 1997. The incorporation by reference of
certain publications listed in the regulations is approved by the
Director of the Federal Register as of January 31, 1997.
ADDRESSES: The service information referenced in this AD may be
obtained from McDonnell Douglas Corporation, 3855 Lakewood Boulevard,
Long Beach, California 90846, Attention: Technical Publications
Business Administration, Department C1-L51 (2-60). This information may
be examined at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transport
Airplane Directorate, Rules Docket, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,
Washington; or at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, Los Angeles
Aircraft Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood,
California; or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol
Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Atmur, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch, ANM-120L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification
Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 90712; telephone
(310) 627-5224; fax (310) 627-5210.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an airworthiness
directive (AD) that is applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas Model
DC-10-10, -30, and -40 series airplanes, and KC-10 (military) series
airplanes was published in the Federal Register on August 29, 1996 (61
FR 47375). That action proposed to require repetitive high frequency
eddy current (HFEC) inspections to detect cracks in the number 4 banjo
fitting on the rear spar of the vertical stabilizer, and repair and
modification of the vertical stabilizer, if necessary. It also proposed
to require the installation of a modification as terminating action for
the repetitive inspections.
Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate
in the making of this amendment. Due consideration has been given to
the comments received.
Request To Allow Use of Additional Service Information
Several commenters request that the proposal be revised to allow
the terminating modification to be accomplished in accordance with
earlier versions of McDonnell Douglas Service Bulletin DC10-54-096.
Although the proposal only referenced Revision 03 of this service
bulletin as the appropriate source of service information, these
commenters contend that the modification as described in the original
issue of the service bulletin (dated March 23, 1989), as well as
Revision 01 (dated September 17, 1990) and Revision 02 (dated May 5,
1995), is equivalent to that described in Revision 03. Since certain of
these commenters have already installed the modification on their
airplanes in accordance with the earlier revisions of the service
bulletin, they want to ensure that they will receive credit for having
complied with the proposed terminating action.
The FAA concurs, and has included all of the revisions in final
rule as acceptable sources of service information for compliance with
the terminating modification requirements of the AD.
Conclusion
After careful review of the available data, including the comments
noted above, the FAA has determined that air safety and the public
interest require the adoption of the rule with the change previously
described. The FAA has determined that this change will neither
increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of
the AD.
Cost Impact
There are approximately 376 Model DC-10-10, -30, and -40 series
airplanes of the affected design in the worldwide fleet. The FAA
estimates that 230 airplanes of U.S. registry will be affected by this
AD.
It will take approximately 2 work hours per airplane to accomplish
each required inspection; the average labor rate is $60 per work hour.
Based on these figures, the cost impact of the inspection requirement
on U.S. operators is estimated to be $27,600, or $120 per airplane, per
inspection.
It will take approximately 34 hours to accomplish the terminating
modification. Required parts will cost approximately $3,875 per
airplane for ``Group 1'' airplanes, and approximately $3,427 per
airplane for ``Group 2'' airplanes. Based on these figures, the cost
impact of the modification requirement on U.S. operators is estimated
to be $5,915 per Group 1 airplane and $5,467 per Group 2 airplane.
The cost impact figures discussed above are based on assumptions
that no operator has yet accomplished any of the requirements of this
AD action, and that no operator would accomplish those actions in the
future if this AD were not adopted. However, the FAA has been advised
that some operators have already accomplished the terminating
modification on airplanes in their fleets; therefore, the future cost
impact of this AD is expected to be reduced by the amount associated
with each previously modified airplane.
Regulatory Impact
The regulations adopted herein will 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 final
rule does 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) 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 final evaluation has been prepared for this action
and it is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained
from the Rules Docket at the location provided under the caption
ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
Adoption of the Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 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. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding the following new
airworthiness directive:
96-25-14 McDonnell Douglas: Amendment 39-9857. Docket 96-NM-135-
AD.
[[Page 68134]]
Applicability: Model DC-10-10, -30, and -40 series airplanes,
and KC-10 (military) series airplanes; as listed in McDonnell
Douglas Service Bulletin DC10-54-096, Revision 03, dated February 6,
1996; certificated in any category.
Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been
otherwise 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 as indicated, unless accomplished
previously.
To prevent reduction in the structural integrity of the number 4
banjo fitting on the rear spar of the vertical stabilizer, which
could ultimately result in a reduction in the ability to control the
airplane during flight and ground operations, accomplish the
following:
(a) Prior to the accumulation of 5,000 total landings, or within
1,500 landings after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs
later, perform a high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspection to
detect cracks in the upper and lower surface of the aft flange of
the number 4 banjo fitting on the rear spar of the vertical
stabilizer, in accordance with McDonnell Douglas Service Bulletin
DC10-54-096, Revision 03, dated February 6, 1996.
(1) If no crack is found, repeat the HFEC inspection thereafter
at intervals not to exceed 1,500 landings.
(2) If any crack is found, prior to further flight, repair the
crack and install the modification in accordance with the service
bulletin.
(b) Within 5 years after the effective date of this AD, modify
the vertical stabilizer in the area of the number 4 banjo fitting on
the rear spar, in accordance with any of the revisions of McDonnell
Douglas Service Bulletin DC10-54-096 specified in TABLE 1 of this
AD. Accomplishment of this modification constitutes terminating
action for the repetitive HFEC inspections required by paragraph
(a)(1) of this AD.
Table 1.--McDonnell Douglas Service Bulletin DC10-54-096
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Revision level Issue date
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(Original Issue).......................... March 23, 1989.
Revision 1................................ September 17, 1990.
Revision 2................................ May 5, 1995.
Revision 03............................... February 6, 1996.
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(c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be
used if approved by the Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification
Office (ACO), FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators shall
submit their requests through an appropriate FAA Principal
Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the
Manager, Los Angeles ACO.
Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Los Angeles ACO.
(d) 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.
(e) The inspections shall be done in accordance with McDonnell
Douglas Service Bulletin DC10-54-096, Revision 03, dated February 6,
1996. The modification shall be done in accordance with any of the
following versions of McDonnell Douglas Service Bulletin DC10-54-
096:
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Revision level Issue date
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(Original Issue).......................... March 23, 1989.
Revision 1................................ September 17, 1990.
Revision 2................................ May 5, 1995.
Revision 03............................... February 6, 1996.
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This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the
Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part
51. Copies may be obtained from McDonnell Douglas Corporation, 3855
Lakewood Boulevard, Long Beach, California 90846, Attention:
Technical Publications Business Administration, Department C1-L51
(2-60). Copies may be inspected at the FAA, Transport Airplane
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at the
FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, Los Angeles Aircraft
Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood,
California; or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North
Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.
(f) This amendment becomes effective on January 31, 1997.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on December 6, 1996.
S. R. Miller,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-31608 Filed 12-26-96; 8:45 am]
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