[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 178 (Friday, September 17, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51840-51842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19962]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0795; Project Identifier 2019-CE-054-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Daher Aerospace (Type Certificate 
Previously Held by SOCATA) 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 Daher Aerospace (type certificate previously held by SOCATA) 
Models TB 20 and TB 21 airplanes. This 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 cracks on the main landing gear (MLG) legs. This proposed 
AD would require repetitively inspecting the MLG and performing all 
applicable corrective 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 November 1, 
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 Daher 
Aircraft Inc., Pompano Beach Airpark, 601 NE 10th Street, Pompano 
Beach, FL 33060; phone: (954) 893-1400; website: www.tbm.aero. 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-2021-0795; 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: Gregory Johnson, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, International 
Validation Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; phone: 
(720) 626-5462; 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 the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2021-0795; 
Project Identifier 2019-CE-054-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 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 
Gregory Johnson, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & 
Rotorcraft Section, International Validation Branch, 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 2019-0274, dated November 6, 2019 (referred to after this as 
``the MCAI''), to address an unsafe condition on all Daher Aerospace 
(formerly SOCATA) Models TB 20 and TB 21 airplanes. The MCAI states:

    Occurrences have been reported of finding cracks on MLG legs of 
TB 20 and TB 21 aeroplanes.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to 
structural failure of an MLG leg and consequent MLG collapse, 
possibly resulting in damage to the aeroplane and injury to 
occupants.

[[Page 51841]]

    To address this potential unsafe condition, DAHER Aerospace 
issued the [service bulletin] SB to provide inspection instructions.
    For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires 
repetitive special detailed inspections (SDI) using magnetic 
particle method of the affected MLG area, and, depending on 
findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective action(s).

    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-
0795.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Daher Service Bulletin SB 10-154-32, dated 
September 2019. The service information contains procedures for 
repetitively inspecting the MLG area for cracks and performing any 
rework and repair. 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 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

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information already described.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 52 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA also estimates that it 
would take about 8 work-hours per airplane to perform the magnetic 
particle inspection that would be required by this proposed AD. The 
average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.
    Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the inspection cost of 
this proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $35,360, or $680 per airplane, 
per inspection cycle.
    In addition, the FAA estimates that any necessary rework would take 
12 work-hours and require parts costing $400, for a cost of $1,420 per 
airplane. The FAA has no way of determining the number of airplanes 
that may need these actions. If the reworked MLG area is found damaged 
during a follow-on magnetic particle inspection, because the damage may 
vary considerably from airplane to airplane, the FAA has no way of 
estimating this repair cost.

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 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:

Daher Aeropsace (Type Certificate Previously Held by SOCATA): Docket 
No. FAA-2021-0795; Project Identifier 2019-CE-054-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by November 1, 2021.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Daher Aerospace (type certificate previously 
held by SOCATA) Models TB 20 and TB 21 airplanes, all serial 
numbers, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 3200, Landing Gear 
System.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This 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 cracks on the 
main landing gear (MLG) legs. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent 
structural failure of an MLG leg and consequent collapse of the MLG. 
The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in damage to 
the airplane and injury to occupants.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Repetitive Inspections

    (1) Before the MLG exceeds 16,000 landings since first 
installation on an airplane or within 200 landings after the 
effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter at 
intervals not to exceed 3,200 landings, accomplish the magnetic 
particle inspection on each MLG for cracks in the left-hand and 
right-hand MLG leg and take all applicable corrective actions before 
further flight in accordance with the Description of Accomplishment 
Instructions in Daher Service Bulletin SB 10-154-32, dated September 
2019, except you are not required to contact the manufacturer. 
Instead, repair using a method approved by the Manager, 
International Validation Branch, FAA; the European Union Aviation 
Safety Agency (EASA); or Daher Aerospace's EASA Design Organization 
Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, the approval must include 
the DOA-authorized signature. For a

[[Page 51842]]

repair to be approved as required by this paragraph, the approval 
letter must specifically refer to this AD.
    (2) For the purposes of this AD, any maneuver resulting in 
weight on the MLG for any duration of time after initial takeoff 
counts as a landing. If the number of landings for the MLG is 
unknown, multiply the number of airframe hours by a factor of 3.6 
and round up to the nearest whole landing.

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, 
International Validation 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 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 Gregory Johnson, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft 
Section, International Validation Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, 
Kansas City, MO 64106; phone: (720)-626-5462; fax: (816) 329-4090; 
email: [email protected].
    (2) Refer to European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 
2019-0274, dated November 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-2021-0795.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact Daher 
Aircraft Inc., Pompano Beach Airpark, 601 NE 10th Street, Pompano 
Beach, FL 33060; phone: (954) 893-1400; website: www.tbm.aero. You 
may view 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 September 8, 2021.
Ross Landes,
Deputy Director for Regulatory Operations, Compliance & Airworthiness 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-19962 Filed 9-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P