[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 24, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11175-11178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-03597]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2021-0018; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-01214-T]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited
(Type Certificate Previously Held by Bombardier, Inc.) Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2015-17-08, which applies to certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400
series airplanes. AD 2015-17-08 requires installing new cable
assemblies with a pull-down resistor. Since the FAA issued AD 2015-17-
08, a modification has been developed to address all known single point
failures that could lead to runaway of the nose wheel steering (NWS)
system. This proposed AD would require modifications to the NWS system.
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 April 12,
2021.
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 https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
[[Page 11176]]
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 De
Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited, Q-Series Technical Help Desk, 123
Garratt Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario M3K 1Y5, Canada; telephone 416-375-
4000; fax 416-375-4539; email [email protected]; internet https://dehavilland.com. You may view this service information at the FAA,
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South
216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-
0018; 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, 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: Siddeeq Bacchus, Aerospace Engineer,
Mechanical Systems and Administrative Services Section, FAA, New York
ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590;
telephone 516-228-7362; fax 516-794-5531; 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 ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2021-0018; Project Identifier
MCAI-2020-01214-T'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
the proposal because of those comments.
Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each
substantive verbal contact received about this proposed AD.
Confidential Business Information
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to
Siddeeq Bacchus, Aerospace Engineer, Mechanical Systems and
Administrative Services Section, FAA, New York ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart
Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516-228-7362; fax 516-
794-5531; email [email protected]. Any commentary that the FAA
receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in
the public docket for this rulemaking.
Discussion
The FAA issued AD 2015-17-08, Amendment 39-18241 (80 FR 51459,
August 25, 2015) (AD 2015-17-08), for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model
DHC-8-400 series airplanes. AD 2015-17-08 requires installing new cable
assemblies with a pull-down resistor. AD 2015-17-08 resulted from an
in-service report of an uncommanded and unannunciated nose wheel
steering during airplane pushback from the gate. The FAA issued AD
2015-17-08 to address an uncommanded nose wheel steering during takeoff
or landing in the event of an open circuit in the steering system, and
possible consequent runway excursion.
Actions Since AD 2015-17-08 Was Issued
Since the FAA issued AD 2015-17-08, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada
Limited has developed a modification to address all known single point
failures that could lead to runaway of the NWS system. The FAA
considered AD 2015-17-08 interim action since it did not address all of
the concerns identified during the design review following the incident
that prompted AD 2015-17-08. The FAA has determined that the
modification specified in this proposed AD is necessary to address the
unsafe condition, including concerns not addressed by AD 2015-17-08.
Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation
authority for Canada, has issued TCCA AD CF-2020-28, dated August 14,
2020 (also referred to after this as the Mandatory Continuing
Airworthiness Information, or the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition
for certain De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited Model DHC-8-401 and
-402 airplanes. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the
internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating
Docket No. FAA-2021-0018.
This proposed AD was prompted by a report indicating that several
failure modes of the NWS system may cause the loss of feedback from
both rotary variable differential transformers to the steering control
unit. The FAA is proposing this AD to address failure modes of the NWS
system, which could lead to NWS runaway, loss of directional control of
the airplane, and possible consequent runway excursion. See the MCAI
for additional background information.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited has issued Service Bulletin
84-32-162, Revision B, dated November 13, 2019, including UTC Aerospace
Systems Service Bulletin 406300-32-142, dated June 24, 2019; and UTC
Aerospace Systems Service Bulletin 406330-32-143, dated June 24, 2019.
This service information describes procedures for modifying the NWS
system (terminating wiring, reworking the left-hand console frame, and
installing an NWS electronic control unit and NWS hand control). 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
This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant
to the FAA's bilateral agreement with the State
[[Page 11177]]
of Design Authority, the FAA has been notified of the unsafe condition
described in the MCAI and service information referenced above. 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 on other products of the same type design.
Proposed Requirements of This NPRM
This proposed AD would retain none of the requirements of AD 2015-
17-08. This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions
specified in the service information described previously.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 54 airplanes of
U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:
Estimated Costs for Required Actions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modification................... 13 work-hours x $85 Up to $122....... Up to $1,227..... Up to $65,258.
per hour = $1,105.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Regulatory Findings
The FAA has 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 removing Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2015-17-08, Amendment 39-18241 (80 FR 51459, August 25, 2015), and
adding the following new AD:
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (Type Certificate Previously
Held by Bombardier, Inc.): Docket No. FAA-2021-0018; Project
Identifier MCAI-2020-01214-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments by April 12, 2021.
(b) Affected Airworthiness Directives (ADs)
This AD replaces AD 2015-17-08, Amendment 39-18241 (80 FR 51459,
August 25, 2015) (AD 2015-17-08).
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited Model
DHC-8-401 and -402 airplanes, certificated in any category, serial
numbers 4001, and 4003 through 4608 inclusive.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 32, Landing
gear.
(e) Reason
This AD was prompted by a report indicating that several failure
modes of the nose wheel steering (NWS) system may cause the loss of
feedback from both rotary variable differential transformers to the
steering control unit. The FAA is issuing this AD to address failure
modes of the NWS system, which could lead to NWS runaway, loss of
directional control of the airplane, and possible consequent runway
excursion.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) New Requirement of this AD
Within 4,000 flight hours or 18 months, whichever occurs first
after the effective date of this AD: Perform modifications to the
NWS system, in accordance with paragraph 3.B of the Accomplishment
Instructions of De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited Service
Bulletin 84-32-162, Revision B, dated November 13, 2019, including
UTC Aerospace Systems Service Bulletin 406300-32-142, dated June 24,
2019; and UTC Aerospace Systems Service Bulletin 406330-32-143,
dated June 24, 2019.
(h) Credit for Previous Actions
This paragraph provides credit for actions required by paragraph
(g) of this AD, if those actions were performed before the effective
date of this AD using De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited
Service Bulletin 84-32-162, dated August 26, 2019, including UTC
Aerospace Systems Service Bulletin 406300-32-142, dated June 24,
2019; and UTC Aerospace Systems Service Bulletin 406330-32-143,
dated June 24, 2019; or De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited
Service Bulletin 84-32-162, Revision A, dated October 18, 2019,
including UTC Aerospace Systems Service Bulletin 406300-32-142,
dated June 24, 2019; and UTC Aerospace Systems Service Bulletin
406330-32-143, dated June 24, 2019.
(i) Other FAA AD Provisions
(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, New
York 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 responsible Flight Standards Office, as appropriate. If
sending information directly to the manager of the certification
office, send it to ATTN: Program Manager, Continuing Operational
Safety, FAA, New York ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410,
Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516-228-7300; fax 516-794-5531. Before
using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal
inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the
responsible Flight Standards Office.
[[Page 11178]]
(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD
to obtain instructions from a manufacturer, the instructions must be
accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, New York ACO
Branch, FAA; or Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA); or De
Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited's TCCA Design Approval
Organization (DAO). If approved by the DAO, the approval must
include the DAO-authorized signature.
(j) Related Information
(1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information
(MCAI) Canadian AD CF-2020-28, dated August 14, 2020, for related
information. This MCAI may be found in the AD docket on the internet
at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket
No. FAA-2021-0018.
(2) For more information about this AD, contact Siddeeq Bacchus,
Aerospace Engineer, Mechanical Systems and Administrative Services
Section, FAA, New York ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410,
Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516-228-7362; fax 516-794-5531; email
[email protected].
(3) For service information identified in this AD, contact De
Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited, Q-Series Technical Help Desk,
123 Garratt Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario M3K 1Y5, Canada; telephone
416-375-4000; fax 416-375-4539; email [email protected]; internet
https://dehavilland.com. You may view this service information at
the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch,
2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the
availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
Issued on January 27, 2021.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-03597 Filed 2-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P