[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 23, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 35352-35354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15519]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2019-0494; Product Identifier 2019-NM-051-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 787 series airplanes. This
proposed AD was prompted by reports that the nose landing gear (NLG)
retracted while the airplane was on the ground with weight on wheels,
due to the installation of a NLG downlock pin in an incorrect location.
This proposed AD would require installing an insert to prevent
installation of the pin in the incorrect location. 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 September
6, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
[[Page 35353]]
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 NPRM, 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. 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. It
is also available on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-0494.
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-
0494; or in person at Docket Operations 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: Allen Rauschendorfer, Aerospace
Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th
St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3528; 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-2019-0494;
Product Identifier 2019-NM-051-AD'' at the beginning of your comments.
The agency specifically invites comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. The agency
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
In March of 2018, the FAA received a report indicating that the NLG
on a Boeing Model 787-8 retracted on the ground, with weight on the
airplane's wheels, while undergoing maintenance testing. Although no
maintenance personnel were injured, the incident resulted in major
structural damage to the forward fuselage of the airplane. The NLG
retraction occurred due to the NLG downlock pin being installed in an
incorrect location: The apex pin inner bore of the NLG lock link
assembly, which is adjacent to the correct location for the NLG
downlock pin. A similar retraction occurred in March of 2016 on a
Boeing Model 787-8 airplane with passengers aboard, resulting in
substantial damage to the aircraft and minor injuries to passengers. In
addition, we received a safety report from an operator's maintenance
technician arising from the March 2018 incident that described the risk
of an inadvertent NLG retraction due to accidentally installing the NLG
downlock pin in the apex pin inner bore of the NLG lock link assembly.
We considered the reports of NLG retraction and the safety report in
our risk assessment. Accidentally installing the NLG downlock pin in
the apex pin inner bore of the NLG lock link assembly, if not
addressed, could result in the NLG retracting on the ground, possibly
causing serious injuries to personnel and passengers and substantial
damage to the airplane.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Boeing Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB320040-
00 RB, Issue 001, dated March 12, 2019. The service information
describes procedures for installing an insert into the apex pin inner
bore of the NLG lock link assembly to prevent the NLG downlock pin from
being inserted in the incorrect location.
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 agency 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 Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB320040-00 RB,
Issue 001, dated March 12, 2019, described previously, except for any
differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this
proposed AD.
For information on the procedures and compliance times, see this
service information at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and
locating Docket No. FAA-2019-0494.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 73 airplanes
of U.S. registry. The agency estimates the following costs to comply
with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs for Required Actions
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Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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Install insert........................ 2 work-hours x $85 per $1,820 $1,990 $145,270
hour = $170.
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[[Page 35354]]
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-2019-0494; Product Identifier
2019-NM-051-AD.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments by September 6, 2019.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and
787-10 airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in
Boeing Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB320040-00 RB, Issue 001,
dated March 12, 2019.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 32, Landing
gear.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by reports that the nose landing gear (NLG)
retracted on the ground, with weight on the airplane's wheels, due
to the incorrect installation of a NLG downlock pin in the apex pin
inner bore of the NLG lock link assembly. The FAA is issuing this AD
to address the NLG downlock pin being incorrectly installed in the
apex pin inner bore of the NLG lock link assembly, which could
result in the NLG retracting on the ground, possibly causing serious
injuries to personnel and passengers and substantial damage to the
airplane.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Required Actions
Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this AD: At the
applicable times specified in the ``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing
Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB320040-00 RB, Issue 001, dated
March 12, 2019, do all applicable actions identified in, and in
accordance with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing
Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB320040-00 RB, Issue 001, dated
March 12, 2019.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Service Bulletin B787-
81205-SB320040-00, Issue 001, dated March 12, 2019, which is
referred to in Boeing Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB320040-00
RB, Issue 001, dated March 12, 2019.
(h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications
For purposes of determining compliance with the requirements of
this AD: Where Boeing Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB320040-00
RB, Issue 001, dated March 12, 2019, uses the phrase ``the Issue 001
date of Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB320040-00 RB,'' this AD
requires using ``the effective date of this AD.''
(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, Seattle 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, Seattle
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.
(j) Related Information
(1) For more information about this AD, contact Allen
Rauschendorfer, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle
ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and
fax: 206-231-3528; email: [email protected].
(2) For 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. 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 July 11, 2019.
Suzanne Masterson,
Acting Director, System Oversight Division, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-15519 Filed 7-22-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P