[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 209 (Friday, October 29, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66700-66702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-27460]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-1084; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-056-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Model 
402C Airplanes Modified by Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SA927NW 
and Model 414A Airplanes Modified by STC SA892NW

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 the 
products listed above. This proposed AD would require a complete 
inspection of the flap system and modification of the flap control 
system. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a Cessna Model 
414A airplane modified by STC SA892NW that experienced an asymmetrical 
flap condition causing an un-commanded roll when the pilot set the 
flaps to the approach position. We are proposing this AD to prevent 
failure of the flap system, which could result in an asymmetrical flap 
condition. This condition could result in loss of control.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by December 13, 
2010.

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: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Sierra Industries, Ltd., 122 Howard Langford Drive, Uvalde, Texas 
78801; telephone: 888-835-9377; e-mail: [email protected]; Internet: 
http://www.sijet.com. You may review copies of the referenced service 
information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 816-329-4148.

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 (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES 
section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after 
receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Werner Koch, Aerospace Engineer, Fort 
Worth Airplane Certification Office, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort 
Worth, Texas 76137; phone: (817) 222-5133; fax: (817) 222-5960; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2010-1084; 
Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-056-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 of a Cessna Model 414 airplane, modified by 
Sierra Industries, Ltd., STC SA892NW (formerly held by Robertson 
Aircraft Corporation) that experienced an asymmetrical flap condition 
causing an un-commanded roll when the pilot set the flaps to the 
approach position. The flap preselect cable connects to the arm 
assembly and provides the flap position to the flap selector to close 
the position loop for the flap position. Micro switches are located on 
the arm assembly and provide the electrical signal for the arm 
position.
    STC SA927NW and STC SA892NW use the original production preselect 
cable. However, the STCs added an extension to the arm assembly that

[[Page 66701]]

requires increased travel of the preselect cable to obtain the same 
rotation as previously obtained with the shorter arm assembly. To 
obtain the same arm assembly rotation, the preselect cable must travel 
approximately an additional .75 inch. However, the original cable has 
internal mechanical stops that prevent it from traveling the additional 
distance. The cable's internal stops are contacted by a smaller 
rotation displacement of the arm assembly. Since more linear 
displacement of the cable is required to obtain the same switch action, 
the internal mechanical stops of the cable are reached before the 
switches designed to stop the motion of the flaps activate.
    As a result, when the internal stops in the cable are contacted, 
the rotation of the arm assembly carrying the micro switches stops and 
the switch to stop the drive motor is not activated. Because the switch 
is not activated, the motor continues to run until either the motor 
drive shear pin fails, a cable breaks, the structural bracket breaks, 
or the secondary switches stop the motor before something breaks. The 
sequence was verified on the reported airplane by the rigging, 
installation, and operation of an STC production configuration.
    This condition, if not corrected, could result in an asymmetrical 
flap condition. This failure could lead to loss of control.

Relevant Service Information

    We reviewed Sierra Industries, Ltd. Service Bulletin SI09-82 
Series-1, Rev. IR, dated September 8, 2010. The service information 
describes procedures for inspecting the flap system, installing a new 
preselect cable with increased internal stroke, making additional 
component modifications, and installing and rigging the flap control 
system.

FAA's Determination

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

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information described previously.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 150 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
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                                                                                                       Cost on
                Action                            Labor cost             Parts cost     Cost per        U.S.
                                                                                         product      operators
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Inspect the flap system and modify/     20 work-hours x $85 per hour =       $1,000        $2,700      $405,000
 replace the flap preselect control      $1,700.
 cable.
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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 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),
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (4) 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, 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 
airworthiness directive (AD):

Cessna Aircraft Company: Docket No. FAA-2010-1084; Directorate 
Identifier 2010-CE-056-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments by December 13, 2010.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Model 
402C airplanes modified by Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) 
SA927NW and Model 414A airplanes modified by STC SA892NW, all serial 
numbers, that are certificated in any category.

Subject

    (d) Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport 
Association (ATA) of America Code 57, Wings.

Unsafe Condition

    (e) This AD was prompted by a report of a Cessna Model 414A 
airplane modified by STC SA892NW that experienced an asymmetrical 
flap condition causing an un-commanded roll when the pilot set the 
flaps to the approach position. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
failure of the flap system, which could result in an asymmetrical 
flap condition. This condition could result in loss of control.

[[Page 66702]]

Compliance

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

Required Actions

    (g) Within 60 days after the effective date of this AD, do a 
complete inspection of the flap system following the Inspection 
Instructions section of Sierra Industries, Ltd. Service Bulletin 
SI09-82 Series-1, Rev. IR, dated September 8, 2010.
    (h) Before further flight after the inspection required in 
paragraph (g) of this AD where any damage to the flap bellcrank or 
bellcrank mounting structure is found, repair the damage and modify 
the flap control system following the Accomplishment Instructions of 
Sierra Industries, Ltd. Service Bulletin SI09-82 Series-1, Rev. IR, 
dated September 8, 2010.
    (i) Within 180 days after the effective date of this AD where 
damage to the flap bellcrank or bellcrank mounting structure is not 
found during the inspection required in paragraph (g) of the AD, 
modify the flap control system following the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Sierra Industries, Ltd. Service Bulletin SI09-82 
Series-1, Rev. IR, dated September 8, 2010.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (j)(1) The Manager, Fort Worth Airplane Certification Office, 
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested 
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 
CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local 
Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending 
information directly to the manager of the ACO, send it to the 
attention of the person identified in the Related Information 
section of this AD.
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your Principal 
Maintenance Inspector or Principal Avionics Inspector, as 
appropriate, or lacking a principal inspector, your local Flight 
Standards District Office.

Related Information

    (k) For more information about this AD, contact Werner Koch, 
Aerospace Engineer, Fort Worth Airplane Certification Office, FAA, 
2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; phone: (817) 222-5133; 
fax: (817) 222-5960; e-mail: [email protected].
    (l) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Sierra Industries, Ltd., 122 Howard Langford Drive, Uvalde, Texas 
78801; telephone: 888-835-9377; e-mail: [email protected]; Internet: 
http://www.sijet.com. You may review copies of the referenced 
service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 
Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call 816-329-4148.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 25, 2010.
John Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-27460 Filed 10-28-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P