[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 25, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47422-47424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18253]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0700; Project Identifier 2019-CE-017-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam S.P.A. 
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 all Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam S.P.A. Model P2006T airplanes. 
This proposed AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another 
country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation 
product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as a manufacturing 
defect in the nose landing gear (NLG) piston tube. This proposed AD 
would require replacing the NLG piston tube. 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 October 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.
     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 
Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam S.P.A, Via S. D'acquisto 62, 80042 
Boscotrecase (NA), Italy; phone: + 39 0823 620134; fax: +

[[Page 47423]]

39 0823 622899; email: [email protected]; website: https://www.tecnam.com/us/support/. You may view this service information at 
the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 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 at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0700; 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 MCAI, 
any comments received, and other information. The street address for 
Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Rutherford, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, International 
Validation Branch, FAA, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; 
phone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; 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-2021-0700; Project Identifier 
2019-CE-017-AD'' 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 
this 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 NPRM.

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 Jim 
Rutherford, Aviation Safety Engineer, General Aviation & Rotorcraft 
Section, International Validation Branch, FAA, 901 Locust, Room 301, 
Kansas City, MO 64106. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is 
not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket 
for this rulemaking.

Background

    The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the 
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued 
EASA AD 2019-0043, dated March 6, 2019 (referred to after this as ``the 
MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition on Costruzioni Aeronautiche 
Tecnam S.P.A. Model P2006T airplanes. The MCAI states:

    Failures of NLG piston tubes P/N 26-8-1408-1 were reported 
during ground operations. Subsequent investigation determined a 
deficiency in NLG piston tube manufacturing process. It was also 
determined that only a specific batch is affected by this defect.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to failure of the 
NLG, possibly resulting in loss of control on the ground, during or 
after landing, with consequent damage to the aeroplane and injury to 
occupants.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, TECNAM issued the 
[service bulletin] SB to provide instructions for the replacement of 
each affected part with a part that was manufactured by an improved 
process.
    For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires removal 
from service of the affected parts.

    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-
0700.

Related Service Information

    Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam S.P.A. Service Bulletin No. SB 288-
CS-Ed 1, Revision 1, dated December 22, 2017, is related to this NPRM 
and provides information about installing nose landing gear (NLG) 
piston tube kit number SB 288-1.

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 this State of Design Authority, it 
has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and 
service information referenced above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM 
after determining the unsafe condition described previously is likely 
to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

    This proposed AD would require replacing NLG piston tubes that are 
not P/N 26-8-1408-1 and marked ``rev F00.''

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 59 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA also estimates that it 
would take about 4 work-hours per airplane to comply with the 
replacement required by this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 
per work-hour. Required parts would cost about $1,200 per airplane.
    Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the cost of this proposed 
AD on U.S. operators to be $90,860, or $1,540 per airplane.
    The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate. 
According to the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this 
proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost 
impact on affected operators.

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.

[[Page 47424]]

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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) Would 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:

Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam S.P.A.: Docket No. FAA-2021-0700; 
Project Identifier 2019-CE-017-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by October 12, 2021.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam S.P.A. Model 
P2006T airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in an category.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 3220, Nose/Tail 
Landing Gear.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another 
country to identify and address an unsafe condition on an aviation 
product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as a manufacturing 
defect in the nose landing gear (NLG) piston tube. The unsafe 
condition, if not addressed, could result in failure of the NLG upon 
or after landing.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    (1) For airplanes with an NLG piston tube part number (P/N) 26-
8-1408-1 installed and not marked ``rev. F00'': Within 50 hours 
time-in-service after the effective date of this AD or within 2 
months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first, 
replace any P/N 26-8-1408-1 NLG piston tube with an improved part by 
installing NLG piston tube kit number SB 288-1.
    (2) As of the effective date of this AD, do not install an NLG 
piston tube P/N 26-8-1408-1 on any airplane unless it is marked 
``rev. F00.''

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, International Validation Branch, 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 Related Information or email: 
[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.

(i) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD contact Jim Rutherford, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, 
International Validation Branch, FAA, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas 
City, MO 64106; phone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: 
[email protected].
    (2) Refer to European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 
2019-0043, dated March 6, 2019, for more information. You may 
examine the EASA AD in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov 
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0700.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam S.P.A, Via S. D'acquisto 62, 80042 
Boscotrecase (NA), Italy; phone: + 39 0823 620134; fax: + 39 0823 
622899; email: [email protected]; website: https://www.tecnam.com/us/support/. You may review this referenced service 
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 
Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106. For information on 
the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

    Issued on August 19, 2021.
Gaetano A. Sciortino,
Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, Compliance & Airworthiness 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-18253 Filed 8-24-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P