[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 4, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 30483-30485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14544]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96-CE-68-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Fairchild Aircraft Incorporated Models 
SA226-AT, SA226-TC, SA227-AC, and SA227-AT 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 Incorporated 
(Fairchild) Models SA226-AT, SA226-TC, SA227-AC, and SA227-AT 
airplanes. The proposed action would require inspecting the cargo door 
lower belt frames at the cargo latch receptacles for cracks in the belt 
frames, repairing the cracks, and reinforcing the cargo door lower belt 
frames by installing doublers. A decompression incident during flight 
caused by fatigue at the bottom of the cargo door on a Fairchild Model 
SA226-TC prompted the proposed action. The actions specified by the 
proposed AD are intended to prevent the failure of the cargo door in 
flight which could cause decompression injuries to passengers and 
substantial structural damage to the airplane.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 7, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief 
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 96-CE-68-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: Hung Viet Nguyen, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Fort Worth Airplane 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. 96-CE-68-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. 96-CE-68-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    In 1995, the FAA received a report on a Fairchild Model SA226-TC 
airplane that had a cargo door failure during flight. Upon 
investigation, the examiners discovered cracking in the cargo door 
lower belt frames. As a result of the incident, the FAA issued AD 95-
18-05 to require replacing the cargo door receptacles to prevent 
failure of the cargo door. The FAA has since determined that further AD 
action is necessary to address this condition. This proposed AD does 
not cancel the actions required in AD 95-18-05.

Relevant Service Information

    Fairchild has issued Service Bulletin 227-53-003, Issued: January 
29, 1986; Revised: February 13, 1986, and Service

[[Page 30484]]

Bulletin 226-53-007, Issued: May 7, 1981; Revised: February 17, 1992 
which specifies inspecting the cargo door belt frames for cracks and 
installing reinforcing doublers.

Differences Between Manufacturer's Service Information and the 
Proposed Action

    Fairchild has suggested different compliance times for repair of 
the cracks based on total flight hours of each individual airplane. The 
FAA has determined that there should be one compliance time for all 
owners/operators of the affected airplanes. These service bulletins 
also specify reinforcing the area if cracks found are less than one 
inch, and if the cracks are larger than one inch, contact the 
manufacturer.
    As currently written, the Fairchild service bulletin allows 
continued flight if cracks are found in the cargo door lower belt 
frames that do not exceed certain limits. The FAA has established a 
policy to disallow airplane operation when known cracks exist in 
primary structure, unless the ability to sustain ultimate load with 
these cracks is proven. The cargo door and the lower belt frame are 
considered primary structure, and the FAA has not received any analysis 
to prove that ultimate load can be sustained with cracks in this area. 
For this reason, the FAA has determined that the crack limits contained 
in the service bulletin fall under the policy, and that AD action 
should be taken to require immediate replacement of any cracked cargo 
door lower belt frames.

The FAA's Determination

    After examining the circumstances and reviewing all available 
information related to the incident described above, the FAA has 
determined that AD action should be taken to prevent the failure of the 
cargo door in flight which could cause decompression injuries to 
passengers and substantial structural damage to the airplane.

Explanation of the Provisions of the Proposed AD

    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop in other Fairchild Aircraft Models SA226-AT, SA226-TC, 
SA227-AC, and SA227-AT airplanes of the same type design, the proposed 
AD would require inspecting the lower belt frames at the cargo latch 
receptacles for cracks. If cracks are found, the proposed AD would 
require repairing the cracks, prior to further flight, using a repair 
scheme provided by the manufacturer through the Airplane Certification 
Office. If no cracks are found, the proposed action would require 
reinforcing the cargo door lower belt frames by installing doublers.

Cost Impact

    The FAA estimates that 145 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 30 
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed initial inspection 
and installation of the reinforcing doubler, and that the average labor 
rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts for the installation of the 
reinforcing doubler cost approximately $710 per airplane. Based on 
these figures, the total cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. 
operators is estimated to be $363,950 or $2,510 per airplane. The FAA 
has no way to determine the number of affected airplanes that have 
already accomplished the proposed action.

Regulatory Impact

    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), 40113, 44701.

Sec. 39.13  [Amended]

    2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) to read as follows:

Fairchild Aircraft Incorporated: Docket No. 96-CE-68-AD. 
Applicability: The following Models and serial numbered airplanes, 
certificated in any category.

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               Models                             Serial Nos.           
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SA226-AT............................  AT001 through AT074.              
SA226-TC............................  TC201 through TC419.              
SA227-AC............................  AC406, AC415, AC416, AC420 through
                                       AC478, except AC457 and AC470.   
SA227-AT............................  AT423 through AT469.              
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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 request approval for an 
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (e) 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 within the body of this AD, 
unless already accomplished.
    To prevent failure of the cargo door in flight which could cause 
decompression injuries to passengers and substantial structural 
damage to the airplane, accomplish the following:
    (a) Within the next 500 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the 
effective date of this AD, inspect the cargo door lower belt frames 
at the cargo latch receptacles for cracks in accordance with part A 
of the Accomplishment Instructions section in the Fairchild Aircraft 
(Fairchild) Service Bulletin (SB) No. 226-53-007, Issued: May 7, 
1981; Revised: February 17, 1992 or Fairchild SB No. 227-53-003, 
Issued: January 29, 1986; Revised: February 13, 1986, whichever is 
applicable.
    (b) If cracks are found, prior to further flight, contact the 
FAA Fort Worth Airplane Certification Office for a reinforcement and 
repair scheme provided by Fairchild Aircraft Incorporated and 
incorporate this reinforcement and repair scheme.
    (c) If no cracks are found, within the next 500 hours after the 
initial inspection required in paragraph (a) of this AD, reinforce 
the cargo door lower belt frames by installing doublers in 
accordance with part B of the Accomplishment Instructions in 
Fairchild SB

[[Page 30485]]

226-53-007, Issued: May 7, 1981; Revised: February 17, 1992 or 
Fairchild SB 227-53-003, Issued: January 29, 1986; Revised: February 
13, 1986, whichever is applicable.
    (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) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance times that provides an equivalent level of safety may be 
approved by the Manager, FAA, Fort Worth Airplane 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 Airplane Certification Office.

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

    (f) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of 
the documents referred to herein upon request to Fairchild Aircraft, 
P. O. Box 790490, San Antonio, Texas 78279-0490; or may examine 
these documents 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 May 29, 1997.
Henry A. Armstrong,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 97-14544 Filed 6-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U