[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 171 (Friday, September 1, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53203-53205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22306]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 99-NM-274-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8 Series 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This document proposes the adoption of a new airworthiness 
directive (AD) that is applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas Model 
DC-8 series airplanes. This proposal would require installation of heat 
shrinkable tubing or application of Peel-Kote on each terminal 
connection of all cabin lighting switches in the forward and aft cabin 
electrical service panels. This action is necessary to prevent a short 
circuit within the cabin electrical service panel due to a foreign 
object being lodged between the terminals of a cabin light switch. Such 
a short circuit could result in overheating and damage to light 
circuits, and consequent smoke and fire in the main cabin of the 
airplane. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe 
condition.

DATES: Comments must be received by October 16, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 99-NM-274-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 
Renton, Washington 98055-4056. Comments may be inspected at this 
location between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. Comments may be submitted via fax to (425) 227-1232. 
Comments may also be sent via the Internet using the following address: 
[email protected]. Comments sent via fax or the Internet must 
contain ``Docket No. 99-NM-274-AD'' in the subject line and need not be 
submitted in triplicate. Comments sent via the Internet as attached 
electronic files must be formatted in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows or 
ASCII text.
    The service information referenced in the proposed rule may be 
obtained from Boeing Commercial Aircraft Group, Long Beach Division, 
3855 Lakewood Boulevard, Long Beach, California 90846, Attention: 
Technical Publications Business Administration, Dept. C1-L51 (2-60). 
This information may be examined at the FAA, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at the FAA, 
Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, 
Lakewood, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elvin Wheeler, Aerospace Engineer, 
Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130S; FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft 
Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 
90712-4137; telephone (562) 627-5344; fax (562) 627-5210.

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 shall 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.
    Submit comments using the following format:
     Organize comments issue-by-issue. For example, discuss a 
request to change the compliance time and a request to change the 
service bulletin reference as two separate issues.
     For each issue, state what specific change to the proposed 
AD is being requested.
     Include justification (e.g., reasons or data) for each 
request.
    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 summarizing 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 Number 99-NM-274-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, Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, Attention: Rules 
Docket No. 99-NM-274-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 
98055-4056.

Discussion

    As part of its practice of re-examining all aspects of the service 
experience of a particular aircraft whenever an accident occurs, the 
FAA has become aware of an incident in which a short circuit within the 
cabin electrical service panel caused excessive current to flow through 
the BRIGHT and DIM cabin lighting circuitry. This incident occurred on 
a McDonnell Douglas

[[Page 53204]]

Model DC-8 series airplane. The short circuit was determined to be 
caused by a foreign object lodging between the BRIGHT and DIM terminals 
of a cabin light switch. This condition, if not corrected, could result 
in overheating and damage to the light circuits, and consequent smoke 
and fire in the main cabin of the airplane.

Other Related Rulemaking

    The FAA, in conjunction with Boeing and operators of Model DC-8 
series airplanes, is continuing to review all aspects of the service 
history of those airplanes to identify potential unsafe conditions and 
to take appropriate corrective actions. This airworthiness directive 
(AD) is one of a series of actions identified during that process. The 
process is continuing and the FAA may consider additional rulemaking 
actions as further results of the review become available.

Explanation of Relevant Service Information

    The FAA has reviewed and approved McDonnell Douglas Alert Service 
Bulletin DC8-33A053, dated Revision 02, dated November 1, 1999, which 
describes procedures for installation of heat shrinkable tubing or 
application of Peel-Kote on each terminal connection of all cabin 
lighting switches in the forward and aft cabin electrical service 
panels. Accomplishment of the actions specified in the service bulletin 
is intended to adequately address the identified unsafe condition.

Explanation of Requirements of Proposed Rule

    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop on other products of this same type design, the 
proposed AD would require accomplishment of the actions specified in 
the service bulletin described previously.

Cost Impact

    There are approximately 263 Model DC-8 series airplanes of the 
affected design in the worldwide fleet. The FAA estimates that 194 
airplanes of U.S. registry would be affected by this proposed AD, that 
it would take approximately 1 work hour per airplane to accomplish the 
proposed actions, and that the average labor rate is $60 per work hour. 
Based on these figures, the cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. 
operators is estimated to be $11,640, or $60 per airplane.
    The cost impact figure discussed above is based on assumptions that 
no operator has yet accomplished any of the proposed requirements of 
this AD action, and that no operator would accomplish those actions in 
the future if this proposed AD were not adopted. The cost impact 
figures discussed in AD rulemaking actions represent only the time 
necessary to perform the specific actions actually required by the AD. 
These figures typically do not include incidental costs, such as the 
time required to gain access and close up, planning time, or time 
necessitated by other administrative actions.

Regulatory Impact

    The regulations proposed herein would not have a substantial direct 
effect 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, it 
is determined that this proposal would not have federalism implications 
under Executive Order 13132.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this proposed 
regulation (1) is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under 
Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under the 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 is contained 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 the following new 
airworthiness directive:

McDonnell Douglas: Docket 99-NM-274-AD.
    Applicability: Model DC-8 series airplanes, as listed in 
McDonnell Douglas Alert Service Bulletin DC8-33A053, Revision 02, 
dated November 1, 1999; certificated in any category; except those 
airplanes on which McDonnell Douglas Service Bulletin 33-53, dated 
February 13, 1970, or Revision 1, dated August 5, 1975, has been 
accomplished.

    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 (b) 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 a short circuit within the cabin electrical service 
panel due to a foreign object being lodged between the terminals of 
a cabin light switch, which could result in overheating and damage 
to light circuits, and consequent smoke and fire in the main cabin 
of the airplane, accomplish the following:

Installation

    (a) At the next maintenance check, but no later than 6 months 
after the effective date of this AD, install heat shrinkable tubing 
or apply Peel-Kote on each terminal connection of all cabin lighting 
switches in the forward and aft cabin electrical service panels, in 
accordance with McDonnell Douglas Alert Service Bulletin DC8-33A053, 
Revision 02, dated November 1, 1999.

    Note 2: Installation of heat shrinkable tubing or application of 
Peel-Kote accomplished prior to the effective date of this AD in 
accordance with McDonnell Douglas Service Bulletin 33-53, dated 
February 13, 1970, or Revision 1, dated August 5, 1975; is 
considered acceptable for compliance with the requirements of 
paragraph (a) of this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (b) 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. 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 3:
    Information concerning the existence of approved alternative 
methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be obtained from the 
Los Angeles ACO.

Special Flight Permit

    (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.


[[Page 53205]]


    Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 25, 2000.
Donald L. Riggin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-22306 Filed 8-31-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P