[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 9 (Monday, January 14, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 2206-2208]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-385]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-0015; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-328-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, DC-
10-10F, DC-10-15, and MD-10-10F Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, DC-10-10F, DC-10-15, and MD-
10-10F airplanes. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections 
for the presence of stray nickel or chrome plating deposits on the air 
filler valve bore of certain main landing gear (MLG) shock strut 
cylinders, and if necessary, related investigative and corrective 
actions. Doing the corrective action would terminate the repetitive 
inspections. This proposed AD results from a report of a left MLG 
collapse

[[Page 2207]]

during landing rollout. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct 
stray nickel and chrome plating deposits, corrosion, and cracking of 
the air filler valve bore on the MLG cylinder, which could result in 
landing gear failure, significant damage to the airplane, and injury to 
personnel.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by February 28, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this AD, contact Boeing 
Commercial Airplanes, Long Beach Division, 3855 Lakewood Boulevard, 
Long Beach, California 90846, Attention: Data and Service Management, 
Dept. C1-L5A (D800-0024).

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maureen Moreland, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification 
Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 90712-4137; 
telephone (562) 627-5238; fax (562) 627-5210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2008-0015; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-328-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    We received a report that one McDonnell Douglas Model MD-10-10 
airplane experienced a left main landing gear (MLG) collapse during 
landing rollout, which was caused by combined fatigue and stress 
corrosion cracking failure of the MLG shock strut cylinder assembly. 
Metallurgical analysis has determined that the origin of the fracture 
was located in the bore of the air filler valve port located on the aft 
side of the MLG cylinder. The primary crack initiation point was in an 
area of stray nickel plating deposits on the bore. A secondary 
origination of the crack was initiated from a shallow corrosion pit 
located at the opposite side of the bore to the primary initiation 
point. Stray nickel or chrome plating deposits, corrosion, or cracking 
in the air filler valve bore of the MLG cylinder, if not corrected, 
could result in landing gear failure, significant damage to the 
airplane, and injury to personnel.

Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin DC10-32A259, dated 
October 30, 2007. The service bulletin describes procedures for 
repetitive video probe inspections to detect the presence of stray 
nickel or chrome plating deposits on the air filler valve bore of 
certain main landing gear (MLG) shock strut cylinders, and if 
necessary, related investigative and corrective actions. The related 
investigative actions include a video probe inspection for corrosion of 
the air filler valve bore in the MLG shock strut cylinder and an eddy 
current inspection for cracking of the air filler valve bore. The 
corrective actions include repair of the air filler valve bore of the 
MLG shock strut cylinder, removal of corrosion, and replacement of the 
MLG cylinder. The service bulletin specifies that doing the repair or 
replacement ends the repetitive inspections for that MLG shock strut 
cylinder only.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design. 
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified in 
the service information described previously.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 75 airplanes of U.S. 
registry. The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. 
operators to comply with this proposed AD.

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Number of U.S.-
            Action               Work hours     Average labor  Cost per product    registered       Fleet cost
                                                rate per hour                       airplanes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection...................               4             $80  $320, per                     75  $24,000, per
                                                                inspection                        inspection
                                                                cycle.                            cycle.
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Authority for This Rulemaking

    Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to 
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the 
authority of the FAA Administrator. ``Subtitle VII: Aviation 
Programs,'' describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's 
authority.
    We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in 
``Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General 
requirements.'' Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with 
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing 
regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator 
finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within 
the scope of that authority

[[Page 2208]]

because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or 
develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    We determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify 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. 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.
    You can find our regulatory evaluation and the estimated costs of 
compliance in the AD Docket.

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 FAA proposes to amend 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. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

McDonnell Douglas: Docket No. FAA-2008-0015; Directorate Identifier 
2007-NM-328-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments by February 28, 2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, DC-10-
10F, DC-10-15, and MD-10-10F airplanes, certificated in any 
category; as identified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin DC10-
32A259, dated October 30, 2007.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a report of a left main landing gear 
(MLG) collapse during landing rollout. We are issuing this AD to 
detect and correct stray nickel and chrome plating deposits, 
corrosion, and cracking of the air filler valve bore on the MLG 
cylinder, which could result in landing gear failure, significant 
damage to the airplane, and injury to personnel.

Compliance

    (e) Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

Inspections and Corrective Actions

    (f) At the applicable time specified in paragraph (f)(1), 
(f)(2), or (f)(3) of this AD, do a video probe inspection for the 
presence of stray nickel or chrome plating deposits on the air 
filler valve bore of the MLG shock strut cylinders, and before 
further flight, do all applicable related investigative and 
corrective actions, in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin DC10-32A259, dated 
October 30, 2007. Repeat the video probe inspection thereafter at 
intervals not to exceed 2,400 flight cycles or 20 months, whichever 
occurs first. Accomplishment of the repair specified in Part 2 of 
the Accomplishment Instructions of the service bulletin or the 
replacement specified in Part 3 of the Accomplishment Instructions 
of the service bulletin terminates the repetitive inspections for 
that MLG shock strut cylinder.
    (1) For passenger airplanes: Within 24 months after the 
effective date of this AD.
    (2) For freighter airplanes with MLG cylinders that have 
accumulated fewer than 7,200 flight cycles in a freighter 
configuration as of the effective date of this AD: Within 24 months 
after the effective date of this AD.
    (3) For freighter airplanes with MLG cylinders that have 
accumulated 7,200 flight cycles or more in a freighter configuration 
as of the effective date of this AD: Within 6 months after the 
effective date of this AD.

Parts Installation

    (g) As of the effective date of this AD, no person may install a 
MLG shock strut cylinder assembly, part number ARG7002-1, -501, -
503, or -505, on any airplane, unless the air filler valve bore hole 
has been oversized and closing action has been accomplished in 
accordance with Boeing Alert Service Bulletin DC10-32A259, dated 
October 30, 2007, and the MLG shock strut cylinder assembly has been 
permanently identified with part number SB10320259-3 adjacent to the 
existing ARG7002 part number.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h)(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), FAA, ATTN: Maureen Moreland, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 
Branch, ANM-120L, FAA, Los Angeles ACO, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, 
Lakewood, California 90712-4137; telephone (562) 627-5238; fax (562) 
627-5210; has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 
requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) To request a different method of compliance or a different 
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. 
Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC 
applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA 
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local 
FSDO.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on December 26, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-385 Filed 1-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P