[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 32 (Thursday, February 18, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 8022-8024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3887]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 99-CE-04-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Fairchild Aircraft, Inc. SA226-T, 
SA226-T(B), SA226-AT, and SA226-TC 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, Inc. (Fairchild) 
Models SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-AT, and SA226-TC airplanes. The 
proposed AD would require replacing the existing brake master cylinders 
with brake master cylinders of improved design. The proposed AD is the 
result of an accident of a Model SA226-TC airplane where the master 
cylinder did not totally release the brake hydraulic pressure at the 
beginning of the takeoff roll. This caused the brakes to drag and the 
left-hand main wheel brakes to overheat, resulting in a wheel well area 
fire. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent 
this situation from occurring on other airplanes, which could result in 
loss of control of the airplane and passenger injury during landing, 
takeoff, or taxi operations.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 12, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 99-CE-04-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, Inc., P.O. Box 790490, San Antonio, Texas 
78279-0490; telephone: (210) 824-9421; facsimile: (210) 820-8609. This 
information also may be examined at the Rules Docket at the address 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Werner Koch, 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. 99-CE-04-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 Regional Counsel, Attention: 
Rules Docket No. 99-CE-04-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    The FAA has received a report of an accident on a Fairchild Model 
SA226-TC airplane of Canadian registry. Analysis of the accident 
reveals that the master cylinder did not totally release the brake 
hydraulic pressure at the beginning of the takeoff roll. This caused 
the brakes to drag and the left-hand main wheel brakes to overheat, 
resulting in a wheel well area fire.
    This condition, if not corrected on other airplanes of the same 
type design, could result in a wheel well area fire, loss of control of 
the airplane, and passenger injury during landing, takeoff, or taxi 
operations.

Relevant Service Information

    Fairchild has issued Service Bulletin 226-32-046, which 
incorporates the following pages:

[[Page 8023]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Pages                       Revision level and date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10..................  Issued: November 29, 1983.
1, 2, 3, and 7.........................  Revised: March 19, 1984.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

This service bulletin specifies procedures for replacing the existing 
brake master cylinders with brake master cylinders of improved design.

The FAA's Determination

    After examining the circumstances and reviewing all available 
information related to the incidents described above, including the 
above-referenced service information, the FAA has determined that AD 
action should be taken to prevent the main wheel brakes from 
overheating because of the existing brake master cylinders not totally 
releasing the brake hydraulic pressure and causing the brakes to drag. 
This could result in loss of control of the airplane and passenger 
injury during landing, takeoff, or taxi operations.

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 Models SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-
AT, and SA226-TC airplanes of the same type design, the FAA is 
proposing AD action. The proposed AD would require replacing the 
existing brake master cylinders with brake master cylinders of improved 
design. Accomplishment of the proposed replacement would be required in 
accordance with Fairchild Service Bulletin 226-32-046, which 
incorporates the following pages:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Pages                       Revision level and date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.................  Issued: November 29, 1983.
1, 2, 3, and 7.........................  Revised: March 19, 1984.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cost Impact

    The FAA estimates that 200 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 16 
workhours per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the 
average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost 
approximately $1,200 per airplane. Based on these figures, the total 
cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be 
$432,000, or $2,160 per airplane.

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 U.S.C. 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, Inc.: Docket No. 99-CE-04-AD.

    Applicability: The following models and serial numbers, 
certificated in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Model                            Serial numbers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SA226-T................................  T201 through T275, T277 through
                                          T291.
SA226-T(B).............................  T(B)276, T(B)292 through
                                          T(B)417.
SA226-AT...............................  AT001 through AT069, AT071
                                          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 request approval for an 
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (d) 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 in the body of this AD, unless 
already accomplished.
    To prevent the main wheel brakes from overheating because of the 
existing brake master cylinders not totally releasing the brake 
hydraulic pressure and causing the brakes to drag, which could 
result in a wheel well area fire, loss of control of the airplane, 
and/or passenger injury during landing, takeoff, or taxi operations, 
accomplish the following:
    (a) Within the next 300 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the 
effective date of this AD, replace the existing brake master 
cylinders with improved design brake master cylinders as specified 
in the service information presented below (or FAA-approved 
equivalent part numbers). Accomplish this replacement in accordance 
with the ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS section of Fairchild Service 
Bulletin 226-32-046, which incorporates the following pages:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Pages                       Revision level and date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10..................  Issued: November 29, 1983.
1, 2, 3, and 7.........................  Revised: March 19, 1984.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (b) As of the effective date of this AD, no person may install, 
on any affected airplane, brake master cylinders that are not of 
improved design, part numbers as specified in the service 
information in paragraph (a) of this AD (or FAA-approved equivalent 
part numbers).
    (c) 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.
    (d) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be 
approved by the Manager, FAA, Airplane Certification Office (ACO), 
2601 Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0150. The request 
shall be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector,

[[Page 8024]]

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.

    (e) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of 
the document referred to herein upon request to Fairchild Aircraft, 
Inc., P.O. Box 790490, San Antonio, Texas 78279-0490; or may examine 
this document at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional 
Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 9, 1999.
Marvin R. Nuss,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-3887 Filed 2-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P