[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 30, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29268-29270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13466]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000-CE-36-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Fairchild Aircraft, Inc. SA26, SA226, 
and SA227 Series 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, Inc. (Fairchild 
Aircraft) SA26, SA226, and SA227 series airplanes. The proposedAD would 
require you to modify the negative torque sensing test system to allow 
the igniters to automatically turn when an engine senses low torque. 
The proposed AD is the result of two instances of a dual engine 
flameout on the affected airplanes. The actions specified by the 
proposed AD are intended to prevent a dual engine flameout on the 
affected airplanes by providing a system that automatically turns on 
the engine igniters when low torque is sensed.A dual engine flameout 
could result in failure of both engines with consequent loss of control 
of the airplane.

DATES: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must receive any 
comments on this rule on or before July 27, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to FAA,Central Region, Office 
of the Regional Counsel,Attention: Rules Docket No. 2000-CE-36-AD, 901 
Locust,Room 506, 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 proposedAD 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: Ingrid Knox,Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 
Airplane Certification Office,2601 Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas 
76193-0150; telephone: (817) 222-5139; facsimile: (817) 222-5960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    How do I comment on the proposed AD? The FAA invites comments on 
this proposed rule. You may submit whatever written data, views, or 
arguments you choose. You need to include the rule's docket number and 
submit your comments in triplicate to the address specified under the 
caption ADDRESSES. The FAA will consider all comments received on or 
before the closing date. We may amend the proposed rule in light of 
comments received. Factual information that supports your ideas and 
suggestions is extremely helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of the 
proposed AD action and determining whether we need to take additional 
rulemaking action.
    Are there any specific portions of the proposed AD I should pay 
attention to? The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall 
regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed 
rule that might suggest a need to modify the rule. You may examine all 
comments we receive before and after the closing date of the rule in 
the Rules Docket. We will file a report in the Rules Docket that 
summarizes each FAA contact with the public that concerns the 
substantive parts of the proposed AD.
    We are re-examining the writing style we currently use in 
regulatory documents, in response to the Presidential memorandum of 
June 1, 1998. That memorandum requires federal agencies to communicate 
more clearly with the public. We are interested in your comments on 
whether the style of this document is clear, and any other suggestions 
you might have to improve the clarity of FAA communications that affect 
you. You can get more information about the Presidential memorandum and 
the plain language initiative at http://www.plainlanguage.gov.
    How can I be sure FAA receives my comment? If you want us to 
acknowledge the receipt of your comments, you must include a self-
addressed, stamped postcard. On the postcard, write ``Comments to 
Docket No. 2000-CE-36-AD.'' We will date stamp and mail the postcard 
back to you.

Discussion

    What events have caused this proposed AD? Several occurrences of 
dual-engine flameout on aircraft have prompted FAA to examine the 
service history of certain type-certificated airplanes. Among those 
examined were the Fairchild Aircraft SA26, SA226, and SA227 series 
airplanes.
    Our analysis reveals the following:

--Two incidents of dual-engine flameout on Fairchild Aircraft SA227 
series airplanes; and
--The incidents are unique to the specific airplane configuration and 
not the generic engine installation.

    What are the consequences if the condition is not corrected? A dual 
engine flameout could result in failure of both engines with consequent 
loss of control of the airplane.

Relevant Service Information

    Is there service information that applies to this subject? 
Fairchild Aircraft has issued the following service bulletins:


[[Page 29269]]


--Service Bulletin 26-74-30-048 (FA Kit Drawing 26K82301), Revised: 
April 13, 2000, which applies to certain Model SA26-AT airplanes;
--Service Bulletin No. 226-74-003 (FA Kit Drawing 27K82087), Issued: 
March 21, 2000, which applies to allSA226 series airplanes;
--Service Bulletin 227-74-003 (FA Kit Drawing 27K82087), Issued: March 
21, 2000, which applies to certain Model SA227-TT airplanes; and
--Service Bulletin 227-74-001, Issued: July 8,1986, which applies to 
certain Models SA227-AT and SA227-AC airplanes.

    What are the provisions of this service bulletin? The service 
bulletins specify the incorporation of a kit that would modify the 
negative torque sensing test system to allow the igniters to 
automatically turn when an engine senses low torque.

The FAA's Determination and an Explanation of the Provisions of the 
Proposed AD

    What has FAA decided? After examining the circumstances and 
reviewing all available information related to the incidents described 
above, we have determined that:

--The unsafe condition referenced in this document exists or could 
develop on other Fairchild Aircraft SA26, SA226, and SA227 series 
airplanes of the same type design;
--The condition is unique to the specific airplane configuration and 
not the generic engine installation;
--The actions specified in the previously-referenced service 
information should be accomplished on the affected airplanes; and
--AD action should be taken in order to correct this unsafe condition.

    What would the proposed AD require? This proposed AD would require 
you to incorporate the applicable kit as specified in the previously-
referenced service information.

Cost Impact

    How many airplanes would the proposed AD impact? We estimate that 
the proposed AD affects 259 airplanes in the U.S. registry.
    What would be the cost impact of the proposed AD on owners/
operators of the affected airplanes? We estimate the following costs to 
accomplish the proposed modification:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Total cost per   Total cost on
                  Labor cost                               Parts cost                airplane     U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16 workhours  x  $60 per hour = $960..........  Ranges between $1,726 and $6,873          $4,960      $1,284,640
                                                 per airplane (we will use a
                                                 firgure of $4,000.
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Compliance Time of the Proposed AD

    What is the compliance time of the proposed AD? The compliance time 
of this proposed AD is within the next 6 calendar months after the 
effective date of this proposed AD.
    Why is the proposed compliance time presented in calendar time 
instead of hours time-in-service (TIS)? Although a dual-engine flameout 
could only occur on the affected airplanes during airplane operation, 
the condition is not directly related to airplane usage. The condition 
exists on the airplanes regardless of whether the airplane has 
accumulated 50 hours time-in-service (TIS) or 5,000 hours TIS.
    The FAA has determined that the 6-calendar-month compliance time:

--Gives all owners/operators of the affected airplanes adequate time to 
schedule and accomplish the actions in this proposed AD; and
--Assures that the unsafe condition referenced in this proposed AD will 
be corrected within a reasonable time period without inadvertently 
grounding any of the affected airplanes.

Regulatory Impact

    Would this proposed AD impact various entities? 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 
proposed rule would not have federalism implications under Executive 
Order 13132.
    Would this proposed AD involve a significant rule or regulatory 
action? 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, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 14 
CFR part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations 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. FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) to read as follows:

Fairchild Aircraft, Inc.: Docket No. 2000-CE-36-AD

    (a) What airplanes are affected by this AD? This AD affects the 
following airplane models and serial numbers that are certificated 
in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Model                             Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SA26-AT................................  AT100 through AT180E.
SA226-AT...............................  AT001 through AT074.
SA226-T................................  T201 through T275, and T277
                                          through T291.
SA226-T(B).............................  T276 and T292 through T417.
SA226-TC...............................  TC201 through TC419.

[[Page 29270]]

 
SA227-AC...............................  AC406, AC415, AC416, AC420
                                          through AC633, AC637, AC638,
                                          AC641 through AC644, AC647,
                                          AC648, AC651, AC652, AC656,
                                          and AC657.
SA227-AT...............................  AT423 through AT631.
SA227-TT...............................  TT421 through TT547.
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    (b) Who must comply with this AD? Anyone who wishes to operate 
any of the above airplanes must comply with this AD.
    (c) What problem does this AD address? The actions specified by 
this AD are intended to prevent a dual engine flameout on the 
affected airplanes by providing a system that automatically turns on 
the engine igniters when low torque is sensed. A dual engine 
flameout could result in failure of both engines with consequent 
loss of control of the airplane.
    (d) What actions must I accomplish to address this problem? To 
address this problem, you must accomplish the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions               Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incorporate the kit           Within the next  Accomplish the
 specified in the applicable   6 calendar       modification in
 service bulletin. This kit    months after     accordance with the
 modifies the negative         the effective    instructions provided
 torque sensing test system    date of this     with the kit that is
 to allow the igniters to      AD.              referenced in either
 automatically turn when an                     Fairchild Aircraft
 engine senses low torque.                      Service Bulletin 26-74-
                                                30-048 (FA Kit Drawing
                                                26K82301), Revised:
                                                April 13, 2000;
                                                Fairchild Aircraft
                                                Service Bulletin No. 226-
                                                74-003 (FA Kit Drawing
                                                27K82087), Issued: March
                                                21, 2000; Fairchild
                                                Aircraft Service
                                                Bulletin 227-74-003 (FA
                                                Kit Drawing 27K82087),
                                                Issued: March 21, 2000;
                                                or Fairchild Aircraft
                                                Service Bulletin 227-74-
                                                001, Issued: July 8,
                                                1986, as applicable.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (e) Can I comply with this AD in any other way? You may use an 
alternative method of compliance or adjust the compliance time if:
    (1) Your alternative method of compliance provides an equivalent 
level of safety; and
    (2) The Manager, Fort Worth Airplane CertificationOffice (ACO), 
approves your alternative. Submit your request through an FAA 
Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send 
it to the Manager,Fort Worth ACO.

    Note: This AD applies to each airplane identified in paragraph 
(a) of this AD, 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 you have not eliminated the unsafe condition, specific 
actions you propose to address it.

    (f) Where can I get information about any already-approved 
alternative methods of compliance? Contact Ingrid Knox, Aerospace 
Engineer, FAA, Airplane Certification Office, 2601 Meacham 
Boulevard, FortWorth, Texas 76193-0150; telephone: (817) 222-5139; 
facsimile: (817) 222-5960.
    (g) What if I need to fly the airplane to another location to 
comply with this AD? The FAA can issue a special flight permit under 
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate your airplane to a location where 
you can accomplish the requirements of this AD.
    (h) How do I get copies of the documents referenced in this AD? 
You may obtain copies of the documents referenced in this AD from 
Fairchild Aircraft, Inc., P.O. Box 790490, San Antonio, Texas 78279-
0490. You may examine these documents at FAA, Central Region, Office 
of the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 21, 2001.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 01-13466 Filed 5-29-01; 8:45 am]
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