[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 14, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 76410-76413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-27021]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-1489; Project Identifier MCAI-2022-00865-T; 
Amendment 39-22256; AD 2022-24-16]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Embraer S.A. (Type Certificate 
Previously Held by Yabor[atilde] Ind[uacute]stria Aeron[aacute]utica 
S.A.; Embraer S.A.) Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Embraer S.A. Model ERJ 190-300 and -400 airplanes. This AD was 
prompted by the identification of a quality escape in the installation 
of certain fasteners of the lower beam (frame) splices of the overwing 
emergency exit (OWE) doors. This AD requires inspection, rework, if 
applicable, and replacement of the splice fasteners of the right-hand 
(RH) and left-hand (LH) OWE doors, as specified in an Ag[ecirc]ncia 
Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil (ANAC) AD, which is 
incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the 
unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective December 29, 2022.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of December 29, 
2022.
    The FAA must receive comments on this AD by January 30, 2023.

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 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.
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2022-1489; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 
docket

[[Page 76411]]

contains this final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The 
street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
    Material Incorporated by Reference:
     For ANAC material incorporated by reference in this AD, 
contact National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), Aeronautical Products 
Certification Branch (GGCP), Rua Dr. Orlando Feirabend Filho, 230--
Centro Empresarial Aquarius--Torre B--Andares 14 a 18, Parque 
Residencial Aquarius, CEP 12.246-190--S[atilde]o Jos[eacute] dos 
Campos--SP, Brazil; telephone 55 (12) 3203-6600; email anac.gov.br">pac@anac.gov.br; 
website anac.gov.br/en/. You may find this material on the ANAC website 
at sistemas.anac.gov.br/certificacao/DA/DAE.asp.
     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. It is also available at 
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2022-1489.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hassan Ibrahim, Aerospace Engineer, 
Large Aircraft Section, FAA, International Validation Branch, 2200 
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone 206-231-3653; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments 
about this final rule. Send your comments to an address listed under 
ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2022-1489; Project Identifier MCAI-
2022-00865-T'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the final rule, 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 final rule 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 
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The 
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal 
contact received about this final rule.

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 AD 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 AD, 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 AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Hassan 
Ibrahim, Aerospace Engineer, Large Aircraft Section, FAA, International 
Validation Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 
telephone 206-231-3653; 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.

Background

    ANAC, which is the aviation authority for Brazil, has issued ANAC 
AD 2022-06-01, effective June 30, 2022; corrected July 8, 2022 (ANAC AD 
2022-06-01) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe 
condition for certain Embraer S.A. Model ERJ 190-300 and -400 
airplanes. The MCAI states that a quality escape has been identified in 
the installation of certain fasteners of the lower beam (frame) splices 
of the OWE doors, due to the use of incorrect tools during the 
installation process. This incorrect installation could lead to the 
detachment of the splices from the lower beam (frame) of the door, 
which is a principal structure element, causing structural damage to 
the lower part of the door, sudden loss of pressurization, and 
emergency descent of the airplane. The MCAI specifies inspection, 
rework, if applicable, and replacement of the splice fasteners of the 
RH and LH OWE doors with new splice fasteners with the same part number 
(P/N).
    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2022-1489.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    ANAC AD 2022-06-01 specifies procedures for a detailed inspection 
for signs of deformation and missing or loose fasteners, rework, if 
applicable, and replacement of the splice fasteners of the RH and LH 
OWE doors. This material 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 
described above. The FAA is issuing this AD after determining that the 
unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on 
other products of the same type design.

Requirements of This AD

    This AD requires accomplishing the actions specified in ANAC AD 
2022-06-01 described previously, except for any differences identified 
as exceptions in the regulatory text of this AD.

Explanation of Required Compliance Information

    In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD 
process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation 
authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance 
with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been 
coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, 
ANAC AD 2022-06-01 is incorporated by reference in this AD. This AD 
requires compliance with ANAC AD 2022-06-01 in its entirety through 
that incorporation, except for any differences identified as exceptions 
in the regulatory text of this AD. Service information required by ANAC 
AD 2022-06-01 for compliance will be available at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2022-1489 after this AD is published.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

    Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 
U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and 
comment procedures for rules when the agency, for ``good cause,'' finds 
that those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to 
the public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good 
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking 
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA 
authorizes agencies to make rules

[[Page 76412]]

effective in less than thirty days, upon a finding of good cause.
    There are currently no domestic operators of these products. 
Accordingly, notice and opportunity for prior public comment are 
unnecessary, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B). In addition, for the 
forgoing reason(s), the FAA finds that good cause exists pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553(d) for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)

    The requirements of the RFA do not apply when an agency finds good 
cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt a rule without prior notice and 
comment. Because the FAA has determined that it has good cause to adopt 
this rule without notice and comment, RFA analysis is not required.

Costs of Compliance

    Currently, there are no affected U.S.-registered airplanes. If an 
affected airplane is imported and placed on the U.S. Register in the 
future, the FAA provides the following cost estimates to comply with 
this AD:

                  Estimated Costs for Required Actions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Cost per
            Labor cost                   Parts cost           product
------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.5 work-hours x $85 per hour =    Negligible..........       $1,062.50
 $1,062.50.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The FAA has received no definitive data on which to base the cost 
estimates for the on-condition rework specified in this 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.

Regulatory Findings

    This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 
13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866, and
    (2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

The Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA amends 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:

2022-24-16 Embraer S.A. (Type Certificate Previously Held by 
Yabor[atilde] Ind[uacute]stria Aeron[aacute]utica S.A.; Embraer 
S.A.): Amendment 39-22256; Docket No. FAA-2022-1489; Project 
Identifier MCAI-2022-00865-T.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective December 29, 
2022.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Embraer S.A. (Type Certificate previously 
held by Yabor[atilde] Ind[uacute]stria Aeron[aacute]utica S.A.; 
Embraer S.A.) Model ERJ 190-300 and -400 airplanes, certificated in 
any category, as identified in Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de 
Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil (ANAC) AD 2022-06-01, effective June 30, 
2022; corrected July 8, 2022 (ANAC AD 2022-06-01).

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 52, Doors.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by the identification of a quality escape 
in the installation of certain fasteners of the lower beam (frame) 
splices of the overwing emergency exit doors, due to the use of 
incorrect tools during the installation process. The FAA is issuing 
this AD to address this incorrect installation, which may lead to 
the detachment of the splices from the lower beam (frame) of the 
door. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in 
structural damage to the lower part of the door, sudden loss of 
pressurization, and emergency descent of the airplane.

(f) Compliance

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

 (g) Requirements

    Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this AD: Comply with all 
required actions and compliance times specified in, and in 
accordance with, ANAC AD 2022-06-01.

(h) Exceptions to ANAC AD 2022-06-01

    (1) Where ANAC AD 2022-06-01 refers to its effective date, this 
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) Paragraph (b) ``Alternative methods of compliance (AMOCs)'' 
of ANAC AD 2022-06-01 is not adopted by this AD.
    (3) ANAC AD 2022-06-01 does not specify compliance times for the 
actions specified in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) of ANAC AD 2022-
06-01. For this AD, after accomplishing the inspection required by 
paragraph (a)(1) of ANAC AD 2022-06-01, the action required by 
paragraph (a)(1)(i) or (ii) of ANAC AD 2022-06-01, as applicable, 
must be done before further flight.

 (i) No Reporting Requirement

    Although the service information referenced in ANAC AD 2022-06-
01 specifies to submit certain information to the manufacturer, this 
AD does not include that requirement.

 (j) Additional AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
International

[[Page 76413]]

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 responsible Flight Standards Office, as appropriate. If 
sending information directly to the International Validation Branch, 
send it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (k) 
of this AD. Information may be emailed to: [email protected]. Before using any approved AMOC, notify your 
appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, 
the manager of the responsible Flight Standards Office.
    (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, International 
Validation Branch, FAA; or ANAC; or ANAC's authorized Designee. If 
approved by the ANAC Designee, the approval must include the 
Designee's authorized signature.

 (k) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Hassan Ibrahim, 
Aerospace Engineer, Large Aircraft Section, FAA, International 
Validation Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 
telephone 206-231-3653; email [email protected].

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of the service information listed in this 
paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil (ANAC) 
AD 2022-06-01, effective June 30, 2022; corrected July 8, 2022.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For ANAC AD 2022-06-01, contact National Civil Aviation 
Agency (ANAC), Aeronautical Products Certification Branch (GGCP), 
Rua Dr. Orlando Feirabend Filho, 230--Centro Empresarial Aquarius--
Torre B--Andares 14 a 18, Parque Residencial Aquarius, CEP 12.246-
190--S[atilde]o Jos[eacute] dos Campos--SP, Brazil; telephone 55 
(12) 3203-6600; email: anac.gov.br">pac@anac.gov.br; internet anac.gov.br/en/. 
You may find this ANAC AD on the ANAC website at 
sistemas.anac.gov.br/certificacao/DA/DAE.asp.
    (4) You may view this material 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.
    (5) You may view this material that is incorporated by reference 
at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at NARA, email 
[email protected], or go to: www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued on November 18, 2022.
Christina Underwood,
Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-27021 Filed 12-13-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P