[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 166 (Friday, August 26, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 53308-53312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21210]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-27747; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-030-AD; 
Amendment 39-16782; AD 2009-10-09 R2]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Cessna Aircraft Company Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Models 150F, 150G, 150H, 150J, 
150K, 150L, 150M, A150K, A150L, A150M, F150F, F150G, F150H, F150J, 
F150K, F150L, F150M, FA150K, FA150L, FRA150L, FA150M, FRA150M, 152, 
A152, F152, and FA152 airplanes. That AD currently requires either 
installing a placard prohibiting spins and other acrobatic maneuvers in 
the airplane or replacing the rudder stop, the rudder stop bumper, and 
the attachment hardware with a rudder stop modification kit. This new 
AD requires a change to the modification kit and removal of a small 
amount of material from the rudder horn assembly for those that have 
not yet complied with the existing AD or for those who can not comply 
with the existing AD (because they were unable to obtain full rudder 
travel with the existing kits). This AD was prompted by operators who 
have reported difficulty in obtaining full rudder travel with the 
existing modification kit. We are issuing this AD to revise the kits to 
use longer rivets and allow a small amount of material to be removed 
from the rudder horn assembly, which allows operators to obtain full 
rudder travel.

DATES: This AD is effective September 12, 2011.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of September 12, 
2011.
    We must receive any comments on this AD by October 11, 2011.

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 Cessna 
Aircraft Company, Product Support, P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, KS 67277; 
telephone: (316) 517-5800; fax: (316) 517-7271; Internet: http://www.cessna.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 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: Ann Johnson, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, 
Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4105; fax: (316) 946-4107; 
e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On October 27, 2009, we issued AD 2009-10-09 R1, amendment 39-16074 
(74 FR 57408, November 6, 2009), for certain Cessna Aircraft Company 
(Cessna) Models 150F, 150G, 150H, 150J, 150K, 150L, 150M, A150K, A150L, 
A150M, F150F, F150G, F150H, F150J, F150K, F150L, F150M, FA150K, FA150L, 
FRA150L, FA150M, FRA150M, 152, A152, F152, and FA152 airplanes. That AD 
requires installation of a placard prohibiting spins and other 
acrobatic maneuvers in the airplane or replacement of the rudder stop, 
rudder stop bumper, and attachment hardware with a new rudder stop 
modification kit and replacement of the safety wire with jamnuts. The 
revision was issued to clarify certain model and serial number 
designations, remove the duplicate requirement of replacing the safety 
wire with jamnuts, and clarify the conditional acceptability of using 
modification kit part number (P/N) SK152-25 as a terminating action to 
that AD. That AD resulted from follow-on investigations of two 
accidents where the rudder was found in the over-travel position with 
the stop plate hooked over the stop bolt heads. While neither of the 
accident aircraft met type design, investigations revealed that 
aircraft in full conformity with type design can exceed the travel 
limits set by the rudder stops. We issued that AD to prevent the rudder 
from traveling past the normal travel limit. Operation in this non-
certificated control position is unacceptable and could cause 
undesirable consequences, such as contact between the rudder and the 
elevator.

Actions Since AD Was Issued

    Since we issued AD 2009-10-09 R1 (74 FR 57408, November 6, 2009), 
compliance with the existing AD required operators to check for full 
rudder travel with the installation of the existing kits (P/N SK152-24A 
and P/N SK152-25A). Some operators have reported difficulty in 
obtaining full rudder travel with these kits. To correct this issue, 
Cessna has revised the kits to use longer rivets and allow a small 
amount of material to be removed from the rudder horn assembly, which 
allows operators to obtain full rudder travel.

Relevant Service Information

    We reviewed Cessna Aircraft Company Service Bulletin SEB01-1, 
Revision 1, dated March 22, 2011; Cessna Aircraft Company Service Kit 
SK152-24B, dated March 22, 2011; and Cessna Aircraft Company Service 
Kit SK152-25B, dated March 22, 2011. The service information describes 
procedures for replacement of the rudder stop, rudder stop bumper, and 
attachment hardware with a new rudder stop modification kit.

FAA's Determination

    We are issuing 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.

[[Page 53309]]

AD Requirements

    This AD requires installation of a placard prohibiting spins and 
other acrobatic maneuvers in the airplane or replacement of the rudder 
stop, rudder stop bumper, and attachment hardware with a new rudder 
stop modification kit.

Change to Existing AD

    This AD would retain certain requirements of AD 2009-10-09 R1 (74 
FR 57408, November 6, 2009). Since AD 2009-10-09 R1 was issued, the AD 
format has been revised, and certain paragraphs have been rearranged. 
As a result, the corresponding paragraph identifiers have changed in 
this AD, as listed in the following table:

                      Revised Paragraph Identifier
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Corresponding  requirement in this
  Requirement in AD 2009-10-09 R1                     AD
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          paragraph (e)                        paragraph (g)
          paragraph (f)                        paragraph (h)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

    This action incorporates revised modification kits that can be used 
by all airplanes that would need the modification incorporated in the 
future and does not require any additional work for those airplanes 
with the modification already incorporated (see table 3). Therefore, we 
find that notice and opportunity for prior public comment are 
unnecessary and that good cause exists for making this amendment 
effective in less than 30 days.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and we did not provide you with notice and an opportunity to 
provide your comments before it becomes effective. However, we invite 
you to send any written data, views, or arguments about this AD. Send 
your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include 
the docket number FAA-2007-27747 and directorate identifier 2007-CE-
030-AD at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite 
comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy 
aspects of this AD. We will consider all comments received by the 
closing date and may amend this 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 AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 17,090 airplanes of U.S. registry.

Estimated Costs

    We estimate the following costs to do the insertion of the 
operational limitation:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
              Action                    Labor cost             Parts cost             product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insert limitations and placard...  1 work-hour x $85    Not applicable..........             $85      $1,452,650
                                    per hour = $85.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do the modification:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
               Action                        Labor cost            Parts cost         product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install a rudder stop modification    4 work-hours x $85 per                 $90            $430      $7,348,700
 kit.                                  hour = $340.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     The new requirements of this AD add no additional economic burden. 
The increased estimated cost of this AD is due to increased labor cost 
from 2009 when AD 2009-10-09 R1 (74 FR 57408, November 6, 2009) was 
issued.

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

    This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 
13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:
    (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),
    (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.

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation 
Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

[[Page 53310]]

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by removing airworthiness directive (AD) 
2009-10-09 R1, Amendment 39-16074 (74 FR 57408, November 6, 2009), and 
adding the following new AD:

2009-10-09 R2 Cessna Aircraft Company: Amendment 39-16782; Docket 
No. FAA-2007-27747; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-030-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective September 12, 2011.

(b) Affected ADs

    This AD revises AD 2009-10-09 R1, Amendment 39-16074 (74 FR 
57408, November 6, 2009).

(c) Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the following airplane models and serial 
numbers that are certificated in any category:

                         Table 1--Applicability
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Models                            Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) 150F.....................................  15061533 through
                                                15064532.
(2) 150G.....................................  15064533 through 15064969
                                                and 15064971 through
                                                15067198.
(3) 150H.....................................  15067199 through 15069308
                                                and 649.
(4) 150J.....................................  15069309 through
                                                15071128.
(5) 150K.....................................  15071129 through
                                                15072003.
(6) 150L.....................................  15072004 through
                                                15075781.
(7) 150M.....................................  15075782 through
                                                15079405.
(8) A150K....................................  A1500001 through
                                                A1500226.
(9) A150L....................................  A1500227 through A1500432
                                                and A1500434 through
                                                A1500523.
(10) A150M...................................  A1500524 through A1500734
                                                and 15064970.
(11) F150F...................................  F150-0001 through F150-
                                                0067.
(12) F150G...................................  F150-0068 through F150-
                                                0219.
(13) F150H...................................  F150-0220 through F150-
                                                0389.
(14) F150J...................................  F150-0390 through F150-
                                                0529.
(15) F150K...................................  F15000530 through
                                                F15000658.
(16) F150L...................................  F15000659 through
                                                F15001143.
(17) F150M...................................  F15001144 through
                                                F15001428.
(18) FA150K..................................  FA1500001 through
                                                FA1500081.
(19) FA150L..................................  FA1500082 through
                                                FA1500120.
(20) FA150L or FRA150L.......................  FA1500121 through
                                                FA1500261 that are
                                                equipped with FKA150-
                                                2311 and FKA150-2316, or
                                                FRA1500121 through
                                                FRA1500261.
(21) FA150M or FRA150M.......................  FA1500262 through
                                                FA1500336 that are
                                                equipped with FKA150-
                                                2311 and FKA150-2316, or
                                                FRA1500262 through
                                                FRA1500336.
(22) 152.....................................  15279406 through
                                                15286033.
(23) A152....................................  A1520735 through
                                                A1521049, A1500433, and
                                                681.
(24) F152....................................  F15201429 through
                                                F15201980.
(25) FA152...................................  FA1520337 through
                                                FA1520425.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note: AD 2009-10-09 R1 (74 FR 57408, November 6, 2009) clarified 
the applicability of AD 2009-10-09 (74 FR 22429, May 3, 2009), 
eliminated a duplicate requirement for replacement of safety wire 
with jamnuts, and clarified the intent of the conditional 
acceptability of using modification kit part number (P/N) SK152-25 
as a terminating requirement to the AD. No further action is 
required for those already in compliance with AD 2009-10-09 R1, 
which included verification of full rudder travel as part of the kit 
work.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 2720, Rudder Control System.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    Aircraft in full conformity with type design can exceed the 
travel limits set by the rudder stops. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent the rudder from traveling past the normal travel limit. 
Operation in this non-certificated control position is unacceptable 
and could cause undesirable consequences, such as contact between 
the rudder and the elevator.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Actions

    To address this problem, you must do either the actions in 
option 1 or option 2 of this AD, unless already done:

[[Page 53311]]



                                   Table 2--Actions, Compliance and Procedures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Actions                             Compliance                            Procedures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Option 1: For all airplanes that  Within the next 100 hours time-in-    A person authorized to perform
 do not have modification kits P/N     service (TIS) after December 11,      maintenance as specified in 14 CFR
 SK152-25B or P/N SK152-24B            2009 (the effective date retained     section 43.3 of the Federal
 installed (or the other kits          from AD 2009-10-09 R1 (74 FR 57408,   Aviation Administration Regulations
 allowed by Table 3), do the           November 6, 2009)), or within the     (14 CFR 43.3) is required to make
 following:                            next 12 months after December 11,     the AFM and POH changes, fabricate
(i) Insert the following text into     2009 (the effective date retained     the placard required in paragraph
 the Limitations section of the FAA-   from AD 2009-10-09 R1), whichever     (g)(1)(i) of this AD, and make an
 approved airplane flight manual       occurs first.                         entry into the aircraft logbook
 (AFM), and pilot's operating                                                showing compliance with the portion
 handbook (POH): ``INTENTIONAL SPINS                                         of the AD per compliance with 14
 AND OTHER ACROBATIC/AEROBATIC                                               CFR 43.9.
 MANEUVERS PROHIBITED PER AD 2009-10-
 09. NOTE: THIS AD DOES NOT PROHIBIT
 PERFORMING INTENTIONAL STALLS.''
(ii) Fabricate a placard (using at
 least \1/8\-inch letters) with the
 following words and install the
 placard on the instrument panel
 within the pilot's clear view:
 ``INTENTIONAL SPINS AND OTHER
 ACROBATIC/AEROBATIC MANEUVERS
 PROHIBITED PER AD 2009-10-09.''
(iii) The AFM and POH limitations in
 paragraph (g)(1)(i) of the AD and
 the placard in paragraph (g)(1)(ii)
 of this AD may be removed after
 either paragraph (g)(2)(i) or
 paragraph (g)(2)(ii) of this AD is
 done.
(2) Option 2: Install a rudder stop   Within the next 100 hours TIS after   Follow Cessna Aircraft Company
 modification kit:                     December 11, 2009 (the effective      Service Bulletin SEB01-1, Revision
(i) For airplanes with a forged        date retained from AD 2009-10-09 R1   1, dated March 22, 2011; and, as
 bulkhead, replace the rudder stops,   (74 FR 57408, November 6, 2009)),     applicable, either Cessna Aircraft
 rudder stop bumpers, and attachment   or within the next 12 months after    Company Service Kit SK152-25B,
 hardware with the new rudder stop     December 11, 2009 (the effective      dated March 22, 2011, or Cessna
 modification kit P/N SK152-25B.       date retained from AD 2009-10-09      Aircraft Company Service Kit SK152-
(ii) For airplanes with a sheet        R1), whichever occurs first.          24B, dated March 22, 2011.
 metal bulkhead, replace the rudder
 stops, rudder stop bumpers, and
 attachment hardware with the new
 rudder stop modification kit P/N
 SK152-24B.
(iii) Refer to Table 3 in paragraph
 (g) of this AD for other applicable
 kit P/Ns.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(h) Kit Part Number Applicability

    Table 3 of this AD identifies when a kit P/N that has already 
been ordered may be used to comply with this AD. All future orders 
received by Cessna for kits P/Ns SK152-24, SK152-25, SK152-24A, and 
SK 152-25A will automatically be filled with P/Ns SK152-24B and 
SK152-25B, respectively.

                                           Table 3--Kit Applicability
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        Can it be installed to
                                                                                       comply with this AD, or
                 Kit P/N                               Type of bulkhead                will credit be given for
                                                                                       compliance with previous
                                                                                        revisions of this AD?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) SK152-24.............................  sheet metal.............................  NO.
(2) SK152-25.............................  forged..................................  ONLY if washer P/N
                                                                                      NAS1149F0332P is used (and
                                                                                      this is recorded in the
                                                                                      maintenance log), AND full
                                                                                      rudder travel can be
                                                                                      verified.
(3) SK152-24A............................  sheet metal.............................  ONLY if full rudder travel
                                                                                      can be verified.
(4) SK152-25A............................  forged..................................  ONLY if full rudder travel
                                                                                      can be verified.
(5) SK152-24B............................  sheet metal.............................  YES.
(6) SK152-25B............................  forged..................................  YES.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(i) Credit for Actions Accomplished Using Previous Service Information

    Credit will be given for the actions in paragraphs (g)(1) and 
(g)(2) of this AD if already done and you were able to verify full 
rudder travel before the effective date of this AD per AD 2009-10-09 
R1, Amendment 39-16074 (74 FR 57408, November 6, 2009); Cessna 
Aircraft Company Service Bulletin SEB01-1, dated January 22, 2001; 
and, as applicable, either Cessna Aircraft Company Service Kit 
SK152-25A, Revision A, dated February 9, 2001, or Cessna Aircraft 
Company Service Kit SK152-24A, Revision A, dated March 9, 2001.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Wichita ACO, 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 appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.
    (3) AMOCs approved for AD 2009-10-09 (74 FR 22429, May 3, 2009) 
and AD 2009-

[[Page 53312]]

10-09 R1 (74 FR 57408, November 6, 2009) are approved as AMOCs for 
this AD.

(k) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Ann Johnson, 
Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, 1801 
Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-
4105; fax: (316) 946-4107; e-mail: [email protected].

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) You must use the following service information to do the 
actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The 
Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference (IBR) under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51 of the 
following service information on September 12, 2011:
    (i) Cessna Aircraft Company Service Bulletin SEB01-1, Revision 
1, dated March 22, 2011;
    (ii) Cessna Aircraft Company Service Kit SK152-25B, dated March 
22, 2011; and
    (iii) Cessna Aircraft Company Service Kit SK152-24B, dated March 
22, 2011.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Cessna Aircraft Company, Product Support, P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, KS 
67277; telephone: (316) 517-5800; fax: (316) 517-7271; Internet: 
http://www.cessna.com.
    (3) You may review copies of the 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.
    (4) You may also review copies of the service information that 
is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this 
material at an NARA facility, call 202-741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 11, 2011.
John Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-21210 Filed 8-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P