[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 190 (Wednesday, October 1, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56594-56596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24847]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2003-NM-55-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model 717-200 
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 
717-200 airplanes. This proposal would require repetitive inspections 
of the electric motor of the auxiliary hydraulic pump for electrical 
resistance, continuity, mechanical rotation, and associated wiring 
resistance/voltage; and corrective actions, if necessary. The actions 
are intended to prevent various failures of the electric motor of the 
auxiliary hydraulic pump and associated wiring, which could result in 
fire at the auxiliary hydraulic pump and consequent damage to the 
adjacent electrical equipment and/or structure. This action is intended 
to address the identified unsafe condition.

DATES: Comments must be received by November 17, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 2003-NM-55-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 
Renton, Washington 98055-4056. Comments may be inspected at this 
location between 9 a.m. and 3 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. 2003-NM-55-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 or 2000 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 98046, Attention: Data 
and Service Management, Dept. C1-L5A (D800-0024). 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: Albert Lam, Aerospace Engineer; 
Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft 
Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 
90712-4137; telephone (562) 627-5346; 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 action may be changed in 
light of the comments received.
    Submit comments using the following format:
    [sbull] 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.
    [sbull] For each issue, state what specific change to the proposed 
AD is being requested.
    [sbull] 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 action must submit a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to Docket Number 2003-NM-55-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. 2003-NM-55-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 
98055-4056.

Discussion

    The FAA has received reports that, during ground operations or when 
powered in flight by the air driven generator, the electric motor of 
the auxiliary hydraulic pump and associated motor feeder cables failed 
on certain McDonnell Douglas Model MD-80, MD-90, DC-10, and MD-11 
series airplanes. These failures consisted of a seized or difficult to 
turn rotor on the pump assembly, burnt and shorted motor feeder cables, 
and/or uncontained internal electric arcing failures with the electric 
motor. Investigation revealed that these failures may be caused by 
hydraulic fluid contamination to the electric motor portion of the 
pump, a failed rotor bearing, and/or degradation of the stator's 
encapsulation material. Failure of the electric motors of the hydraulic 
pump and associated motor feeder cables, if not corrected, could result 
in a fire at the auxiliary hydraulic pump and consequent damage to the 
adjacent electrical equipment and/or structure.
    The subject electric motor on certain McDonnell Douglas Model MD-
80, MD-90, DC-10, and MD-11 series airplanes is identical to that on 
the affected Model 717-200 airplanes. Therefore, all of these models 
may be subject to the same unsafe condition.

Other Relevant Rulemaking

    The FAA has previously issued AD 2001-22-17, amendment 39-12496 (66 
FR 56753, November 13, 2001), applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas 
Model DC-9-81, -9-82, -9-83, and -9-87 series airplanes; Model MD-88 
airplanes; and Model MD-90-30 series airplanes. We have also previously 
issued AD 2001-14-08, amendment 39-12319 (66 FR 36441, July 12, 2001), 
applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10 series airplanes, 
Model MD-10 series airplanes, and Model MD-11 series airplanes. These 
ADs require repetitive inspections of the electric motor of the 
auxiliary hydraulic pump for electrical resistance, continuity, 
mechanical

[[Page 56595]]

rotation, and associated wiring resistance/voltage. Those ADs prevent 
various failures of electric motors of the auxiliary hydraulic pump and 
associated wiring, which could result in fire at the auxiliary 
hydraulic pump and consequent damage to the adjacent electrical 
equipment and/or structure.

Explanation of Relevant Service Information

    The FAA has reviewed and approved Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 
717-29A0005, dated July 31, 2002, which describes procedures for 
repetitive inspections of the electric motor of the auxiliary hydraulic 
pump for electrical resistance, continuity, mechanical rotation, and 
associated wiring resistance/voltage; and corrective actions, if 
necessary. The corrective actions involve replacing the auxiliary 
hydraulic pump with a serviceable pump, troubleshooting, and repairing 
the wiring, as applicable.

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. Although the service 
bulletin referenced in this AD specifies to submit certain information 
to the manufacturer, this AD does not include such a requirement.

Interim Action

    This is considered to be interim action until final action is 
identified, at which time the FAA may consider further rulemaking.

Changes to 14 CFR Part 39/Effect on the Proposed AD

    On July 10, 2002, the FAA issued a new version of 14 CFR part 39 
(67 FR 47997, July 22, 2002), which governs the FAA's airworthiness 
directives system. The regulation now includes material that relates to 
altered products, special flight permits, and alternative methods of 
compliance (AMOCs). Because we have now included this material in part 
39, only the office authorized to approve AMOCs is identified in each 
individual AD.

Change to Labor Rate Estimate

    We have reviewed the figures we have used over the past several 
years to calculate AD costs to operators. To account for various 
inflationary costs in the airline industry, we find it necessary to 
increase the labor rate used in these calculations from $60 per work 
hour to $65 per work hour. The cost impact information, below, reflects 
this increase in the specified hourly labor rate.

Cost Impact

    There are approximately 95 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. The FAA estimates that 67 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 inspection, and 
that the average labor rate is $65 per work hour. Based on these 
figures, the cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is 
estimated to be $4,355, or $65 per airplane, per inspection cycle.
    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 2003-NM-55-AD.

    Applicability: Model 717-200 airplanes, manufacturer's fuselage 
numbers 5002 through 5200 inclusive, certificated in any category.
    Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished 
previously.
    To prevent various failures of electric motor of the auxiliary 
hydraulic pump and associated wiring, which could result in fire at 
the auxiliary hydraulic pump and consequent damage to the adjacent 
electrical equipment and/or structure, accomplish the following:

Service Bulletin References

    (a) The term ``service bulletin,'' as used in this AD, means the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 717-
29A0005, dated July 31, 2002. Although the service bulletin 
referenced in this AD specifies to submit certain information to the 
manufacturer, this AD does not include such a requirement.

Initial Inspection and Testing

    (b) Prior to the accumulation of 3,000 total flight hours, or 
within 12 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever 
occurs later, do an inspection of the electric motor of the 
auxiliary hydraulic pump for electrical resistance, continuity, 
mechanical rotation, and associated writing resistance/voltage per 
the service bulletin.

Condition 1, No Failures: Repetitive Inspections

    (c) If no failures are detected during any inspection required 
by paragraph (b) of this AD, repeat the inspection thereafter at 
intervals not to exceed 5,000 flight hours.

Condition 2, Failure of Any Pump Motor: Replacement and Repetitive 
Inspections

    (d) If any pump motor fails during any inspection required by 
paragraph (b) of this AD, before further flight, replace the failed 
auxiliary hydraulic pump with a serviceable pump, per the service 
bulletin. Repeat the inspection required by paragraph (b) of this AD 
at intervals not to exceed 5,000 flight hours.

[[Page 56596]]

Condition 3, Failure of Any Wiring: Repair and Repetitive Inspection

    (e) If any wiring fails during any inspection required by 
paragraph (b) of this AD, before further flight, troubleshoot and 
repair the failed wiring, per the service bulletin. Repeat the 
inspection at intervals not to exceed 5,000 flight hours.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (f) In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, the Manager, Los Angeles 
Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, is authorized to approve 
alternative methods of compliance (AMOCs) for this AD.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on September 24, 2003.
Ali Bahrami,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 03-24847 Filed 9-30-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P