[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29102-29105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13047]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0437; Product Identifier 2019-NM-074-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for certain The Boeing Company Model 757-200, -200CB, and -300 series 
airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the 
fuselage frame web at body station (STA) 1640. This proposed AD would 
require, depending on configuration, a general visual inspection for 
any previous repair, such as any reinforcing repair or local frame 
replacement repair, repetitive open hole high frequency eddy current 
(HFEC) inspections for any crack of the fuselage frame web fastener 
holes, on the left and right side of the airplane, and applicable on-
condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe 
condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by August 5, 
2019.

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 Boeing service information identified in this NPRM, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services 
(C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740-5600; 
phone: 562-797-1717; internet: https://www.myboeingfleet.com.
    For Aviation Partners Boeing service information identified in this 
NPRM, contact Aviation Partners Boeing, 2811 South 102nd St., Suite 
200, Seattle, WA 98168; phone: 206-830-7699; fax: 206-767-0535; email: 
[email protected]; internet: http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com.
    You may view this referenced service information at the FAA, 
Transport Standards Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-
231-3195. Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, dated 
November 16, 2018, is also available on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-
0437.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-
0437; or in person at Docket Operations

[[Page 29103]]

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The street address for 
Docket Operations is listed above. Comments will be available in the AD 
docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Jarzomb, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Section, FAA, Los Angeles ACO Branch, 3960 Paramount 
Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712-4137; phone: 562-627-5234; fax: 562-627-
5210; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites 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-2019-0437; 
Product Identifier 2019-NM-074-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. 
The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. The FAA will 
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this 
NPRM because of those comments.
    The FAA will post all comments, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. 
The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal 
contact the agency receives about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    The FAA has received reports of cracks found on several airplanes 
while performing inspections in an area adjacent to the inspection 
areas specified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 757-53A0108. The 
cracks reported were not considered in the inspections specified in 
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 757-53A0108 because the crack initiation 
sites, at issue here, were discovered after the release of Boeing Alert 
Service Bulletin 757-53A0108. The airplanes had between 20,536 and 
39,850 total flight cycles at the time of reporting. Three of the 
cracks were confirmed to have initiated at a fastener common to the STA 
1640 fuselage frame web and intercostal tee clip at stringer 14, on the 
left side. The fuselage frame web cracking is attributed to fatigue 
caused by flight loads and fuselage pressurization with higher than 
predicted stresses. This condition, if not addressed, could result in 
reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed the following service information.
     Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) Alert Service Bulletin 
AP757-53-002, Revision 2, dated April 11, 2019.
     Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, dated 
November 16, 2018.
    The service information describes procedures for, depending on 
configuration, a general visual inspection for any previous repair, 
such as any reinforcing repair or local frame replacement repair, 
repetitive open hole HFEC inspections for any crack of the fuselage 
frame web fastener holes, on the left and right side of the airplane, 
and applicable on-condition actions. On-condition actions include 
installation of fasteners and repair. These documents are distinct 
since they apply to different airplane models in different 
configurations.
    This service information is reasonably available because the 
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of 
business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

FAA's Determination

    The FAA is proposing this AD because the FAA 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 accomplishment of the actions 
identified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, dated 
November 16, 2018, described previously, except for any differences 
identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.
    This proposed AD would also require accomplishment of the actions 
identified as ``RC'' (required for compliance) in the Accomplishment 
Instructions of APB Alert Service Bulletin AP757-53-002, Revision 2, 
dated April 11, 2019, described previously, except for any differences 
identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD. 
Please note that the initial compliance times for the airplanes 
identified in APB Alert Service Bulletin AP757-53-002, Revision 2, 
dated April 11, 2019, range from within 500 flight cycles after the 
effective date of this AD, to within 16,000 flight cycles after the 
installation of the local frame replacement or before 50,000 total 
flight cycles, whichever occurs first depending on configuration. The 
repetitive intervals range from 5,200 flight cycles to 9,900 flight 
cycles, depending on configuration.
    For information on the procedures and compliance times, see Boeing 
Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, dated November 16, 2018, at 
http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. 
FAA-2019-0437.

Explanation of Requirements Bulletin

    The FAA worked in conjunction with industry, under the 
Airworthiness Directive Implementation Aviation Rulemaking Committee 
(AD ARC), to enhance the AD system. One enhancement is a process for 
annotating which steps in the service information are RC with an AD. 
Boeing has implemented this RC concept into Boeing service bulletins.
    In an effort to further improve the quality of ADs and AD-related 
Boeing service information, a joint process improvement initiative was 
worked between the FAA and Boeing. The initiative resulted in the 
development of a new process in which the service information more 
clearly identifies the actions needed to address the unsafe condition 
in the ``Accomplishment Instructions.'' The new process results in a 
Boeing Requirements Bulletin, which contains only the actions needed to 
address the unsafe condition (i.e., only the RC actions).

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 475 airplanes of 
U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with 
this proposed AD:

                                      Estimated Costs for Required Actions
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                                                                                                 Cost on U.S.
              Action                    Labor cost        Parts cost     Cost per  product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Visual Inspection........  35 work-hours x $85              $0  $2,975.............  $1,413,125.
                                    per hour = $2,975.

[[Page 29104]]

 
Open Hole HFEC Inspection........  35 work-hours x $85               0  $2,975 per           $1,413,125 per
                                    per hour = $2,975                    inspection cycle.    inspection cycle.
                                    per inspection
                                    cycle.
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    The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary on-
condition fastener installations that would be required. The FAA has no 
way of determining the number of aircraft that might need these on-
condition actions:

         Estimated Costs of On-Condition Fastener Installations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Cost per
              Labor cost                   Parts cost        product
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $85......              $*            $85 *
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* The FAA has received no definitive data that would enable the agency
  to provide cost estimates for the parts cost of the on-condition
  fastener installation specified in this proposed AD.

    The FAA has received no definitive data that would enable the 
agency to provide cost estimates for the on-condition repair specified 
in this proposed AD.

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.
    The FAA is 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.
    This proposed AD is issued in accordance with authority delegated 
by the Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service, as 
authorized by FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance with that order, 
issuance of ADs is normally a function of the Compliance and 
Airworthiness Division, but during this transition period, the 
Executive Director has delegated the authority to issue ADs applicable 
to transport category airplanes and associated appliances to the 
Director of the System Oversight Division.

Regulatory Findings

    The FAA 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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, 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.

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

0
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]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2019-0437; Product Identifier 
2019-NM-074-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments by August 5, 2019.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 757-200, -200CB, and 
-300 series airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified 
in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, dated November 
16, 2018.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the fuselage frame 
web at body station (STA) 1640. The FAA is issuing this AD to 
address cracks in the fuselage frame web at STA 1640, which could 
result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    (1) For all airplanes except those identified in paragraph 
(g)(2) of this AD: Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this AD, 
at the applicable times specified in the ``Compliance'' paragraph of 
Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, dated November 
16, 2018, do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance 
with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements 
Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, dated November 16, 2018.

    Note 1 to paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2): Guidance for 
accomplishing the actions required by this AD can be found in Boeing 
Alert Service Bulletin 757-53A0112, dated November 16, 2018, which 
is referred to in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, 
dated November 16, 2018.

    (2) For airplanes on which Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) 
blended or scimitar winglets are installed in accordance with 
Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) ST01518SE: Except as specified 
by paragraph (h) of this AD, at the applicable times

[[Page 29105]]

specified in paragraph 1.E., ``Compliance'' of APB Alert Service 
Bulletin AP757-53-002, Revision 2, dated April 11, 2019, do all 
applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 
757-53A0112 RB, dated November 16, 2018.

(h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications

    (1) For purposes of determining compliance with the requirements 
of this AD: Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, 
dated November 16, 2018, uses the phrase ``the original issue date 
of Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB,'' this AD requires using 
``the effective date of this AD,'' except where Boeing Alert 
Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, dated November 16, 2018, uses 
the phrase ``the original issue date of Requirements Bulletin 757-
53A0112 RB'' in a note or flag note.
    (2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0112 RB, 
dated November 16, 2018, specifies contacting Boeing for repair 
instructions or for alternative inspections: This AD requires doing 
the repair, or doing the alternative inspections and applicable on-
condition actions using a method approved in accordance with the 
procedures specified in paragraph (i) of this AD.
    (3) For purposes of determining compliance with the requirements 
of this AD: Where APB Alert Service Bulletin AP757-53-002, Revision 
2, dated April 11, 2019, uses the phrase ``the original issue date 
of this service bulletin,'' this AD requires using ``the effective 
date of this AD,'' except where APB Alert Service Bulletin AP757-53-
002, Revision 2, dated April 11, 2019, uses the phrase ``the 
original issue date of this Service Bulletin'' in a note or flag 
note.
    (4) Where APB Alert Service Bulletin AP757-53-002, Revision 2, 
dated April 11, 2019, specifies contacting Boeing for repair 
instructions or for alternative inspections: This AD requires doing 
the repair, or doing the alternative inspections and applicable on-
condition actions using a method approved in accordance with the 
procedures specified in paragraph (i) of this AD.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Los Angeles ACO Branch, 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 certification office, send it to the attention of 
the person identified in paragraph (j)(1) of this AD. Information 
may be emailed to: [email protected].
    (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) An AMOC that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used for any repair, modification, or alteration required by this AD 
if it is approved by The Boeing Company Organization Designation 
Authorization (ODA) that has been authorized by the Manager, Los 
Angeles ACO Branch, FAA, to make those findings. To be approved, the 
repair method, modification deviation, or alteration deviation must 
meet the certification basis of the airplane, and the approval must 
specifically refer to this AD.
    (4) Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this AD: For service 
information that contains steps that are labeled as Required for 
Compliance (RC), the provisions of paragraphs (i)(4)(i) and 
(i)(4)(ii) of this AD apply.
    (i) The steps labeled as RC, including substeps under an RC step 
and any figures identified in an RC step, must be done to comply 
with the AD. If a step or substep is labeled ``RC Exempt,'' then the 
RC requirement is removed from that step or substep. An AMOC is 
required for any deviations to RC steps, including substeps and 
identified figures.
    (ii) Steps not labeled as RC may be deviated from using accepted 
methods in accordance with the operator's maintenance or inspection 
program without obtaining approval of an AMOC, provided the RC 
steps, including substeps and identified figures, can still be done 
as specified, and the airplane can be put back in an airworthy 
condition.

(j) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Peter Jarzomb, 
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Los Angeles ACO Branch, 
3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712-4137; phone: 562-627-
5234; fax: 562-627-5210; email: [email protected].
    (2) For Boeing service information identified in this AD, 
contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data 
Services (C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 
90740-5600; telephone 562-797-1717; internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com.
    (3) For Aviation Partners Boeing service information identified 
in this AD, contact Aviation Partners Boeing, 2811 South 102nd St., 
Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98168; phone: 206-830-7699; fax: 206-767-
3355; email: [email protected]; internet: http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com.
    (4) You may view this referenced service information at the FAA, 
Transport Standards Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. 
For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, 
call 206-231-3195.

    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on June 10, 2019.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Director, System Oversight Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-13047 Filed 6-20-19; 8:45 am]
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