[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 11, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55770-55773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22332]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-0962; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-033-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Cessna Aircraft Company 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 Cessna Aircraft Company Models 172RG, R182, TR182, FR182, 210N, 
T210N, 210R, T210R, P210N, P210R, and T303 airplanes. This proposed AD 
was prompted by a report of a cockpit fire that appeared to originate 
from the area of the landing gear's hydraulic power pack system. This 
proposed AD would require you inspect the aircraft's hydraulic power 
pack wiring for incorrect installation, and if needed, correct the 
installation. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition 
on these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 26, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, 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 
Cessna Aircraft Company, Customer Service, P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, KS 
67277; telephone: (316) 517-5800; fax: (316) 517-7271; Internet: http:/
/www.cessna.com/customer-service/

[[Page 55771]]

technical-publications.html. You may review copies of the referenced 
service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 
Kansas City, MO 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: Richard Rejniak, Aerospace Engineer, 
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, 
Wichita, Kansas 67209; phone: (316) 946-4128; fax: (316) 946-4107; 
email: [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-2012-0962; 
Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-033-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 an accident of a Cessna Aircraft Company 
Model 172RG airplane where a fire started in-flight on the cabin side 
of the firewall and rapidly accelerated. The fire originated from the 
area of the landing gear's hydraulic power pack system and resulted in 
a complete hull loss with reported injuries.
    The investigation concluded that an in-flight fire may result from 
improper installation of the terminal lugs, improper installation of 
(or missing) terminal covers and associated wiring to the landing gear 
hydraulic power pack motor wiring, which was not properly protected or 
adequately secured. The cause for the rapid acceleration of the fire 
was indicative of the presence of flammable materials or a flammable 
material source near or in contact with the hydraulic power pack system 
within the aircraft's cockpit/cabin.
    This style of hydraulic power pack is also used on Cessna Aircraft 
Company Models R182, TR182, FR182, 210N, T210N, 210R, T210R, P210N, 
P210R, and T303 airplanes.
    This condition, if not corrected, could result in a fire in the 
aircraft's cockpit, damage and or loss of aircraft, and injuries and or 
fatalities.

Relevant Service Information

    We reviewed Cessna Aircraft Company Service Letter MEL-29-01, dated 
July 14, 2012; and Service Letter SEL-29-01, dated July 16, 2012. The 
service information describes procedures for inspection of the 
aircraft's hydraulic power pack system for proper wire routing, 
protective cover, and hydraulic leaks, and if needed, installation of a 
protective cover and rerouting of wiring.

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 these same type 
designs.

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 2,961 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
            Action                  Labor cost              Parts cost              product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hydraulic power pack system     1 work-hour x $85  Not applicable.............             $85         $251,685
 wiring inspection.              per hour = $85.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     We estimate the following costs to do any necessary hydraulic 
power pack terminal lug protective cap installation that would be 
required based on the results of the proposed inspection. We have no 
way of determining the number of aircraft that might need this 
installation:

                                               On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Cost per
                    Action                                Labor cost               Parts cost        product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hydraulic power pack system wiring             1 work-hour x $85 per hour =                $29             $114
 installation.                                  $85.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

[[Page 55772]]

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-2012-0962+; Directorate 
Identifier 2012-CE-033-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by October 26, 2012.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the following Cessna Aircraft Company 
airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in table 1, 
paragraph (c), of this AD:

                               Table 1 to Paragraph (c) of This AD--Applicability
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                      Model                                                 Serial Nos.
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(1) 172RG.......................................  172RG000l through 172RG1191.
(2) R182 and TR182..............................  R18200584 through Rl8202039.
(3) FR182.......................................  FR18200021 through FR18200070.
(4) 210N, T210N, 210R, and T210R................  21062955 through 21065009.
(5) P210N.......................................  P21000151 through P21000834.
(6) P210R.......................................  P21000835 through P21000874.
(7) T303........................................  T30300001 through T30300315.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 32, Landing Gear.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report of a cockpit fire that appeared 
to originate from the area of the landing gear's hydraulic power 
pack system. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition 
on these products.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Inspect the Hydraulic Power Pack Wiring for Correct Installation

    (1) Single engine aircraft: Within the next 100 hours time-in-
service (TIS) after the effective date of this AD or within the next 
12 calendar months after the effective date of this AD, whichever 
occurs first, inspect the hydraulic power pack wiring for correct 
installation. Follow Cessna Aircraft Company Service Letter SEL-29-
01, dated July 16, 2012.
    (2) Multi-engine aircraft: Within the next 100 hours TIS after 
the effective date of this AD or within the next 12 calendar months 
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first, inspect 
the hydraulic power pack wiring for correct installation. Follow 
Cessna Aircraft Company Service Letter MEL-29-01, dated July 14, 
2012.

(h) Correct the Installation of the Hydraulic Power Pack Wiring

    (1) Single engine aircraft: If you find evidence of incorrect 
installation of the hydraulic power pack wiring as a result of the 
inspection required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, before further 
flight, correct the installation. Follow Cessna Aircraft Company 
Service Letter SEL-29-01, dated July 16, 2012.
    (2) Multi-engine aircraft: If you find evidence of incorrect 
installation of the hydraulic power pack wiring as a result of the 
inspection required by paragraph (g)(2) of this AD, before further 
flight, correct the installation. Follow Cessna Aircraft Company 
Service Letter MEL-29-01, dated July 14, 2012.

(i) Special Flight Permit

    Special flight permits are permitted with the following 
limitation: visual flight rules (VFR) day conditions.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office (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.

(k) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Richard Rejniak, 
Aerospace Engineer, Wichita ACO, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, 
Wichita, Kansas 67209; phone: (316) 946-4128; fax: (316) 946-4107; 
email: [email protected].
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Cessna Aircraft Company, Customer service, P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, 
KS 67277; telephone: (316) 517-5800; fax: (316) 517-7271; Internet: 
http://www.cessnasupport.com/customer-service/technical-publications.html. You may review copies of the referenced service 
information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 
Kansas City, MO 64106. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.


[[Page 55773]]


    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 5, 2012.
Earl Lawrence,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-22332 Filed 9-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P