[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 149 (Friday, August 4, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51745-51747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16365]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2023-1488; Project Identifier AD-2023-00182-T]
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 757-200, -200CB, and -200PF series 
airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of cracks found at 
the main deck cargo door forward and aft hinge attachment holes. This 
proposed AD would require a maintenance records check for repairs at 
the forward and aft hinge areas of the main deck cargo door cutout; 
repetitive open-hole high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections for 
cracks in the unrepaired areas of the bear strap, skin, doubler, and 
upper sill chord at the main deck cargo door forward and aft hinge 
attachment holes; and 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 September 
18, 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-2023-1488; 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.
    Material Incorporated by Reference:
     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; website myboeingfleet.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. It is also available at 
regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2023-1488.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Ha, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 562-627-
5238; 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-2023-1488; Project Identifier 
AD-2023-00182-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 
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 
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 Wayne 
Ha, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, 
WA 98198; phone: 562-627-5238; email: [email protected]. Any commentary 
that the FAA receives that is not specifically designated as CBI will 
be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

    The FAA has received a report of cracks on three Model 757-200PF 
airplanes at the main deck cargo door forward and aft hinge attachment 
holes found while the airplanes were undergoing a routine maintenance 
check. The airplanes had reached between 16,380 and 19,221 total flight 
cycles and between 24,646 and 28,158 total flight hours at the time of 
the crack findings. It has been determined that certain existing 
maintenance inspections are not sufficient to detect cracks around 
attachment holes in areas where the hinge obstructs the inspection, 
without the removal of the main deck cargo door hinge fasteners. 
Undetected cracks in the main deck cargo door hinge could result in 
reduced structural integrity of the airplane.
    After the cracking was reported on Model 757-200PF series 
airplanes, Boeing conducted a cross-model evaluation and crack-growth 
analysis on Model 757-200 and -200CB series airplanes because the 
fuselage design in the affected location is the same on all three 
airplane models. The FAA has determined that the unsafe condition could 
exist on Model 757-200, -200CB, and -200PF series airplanes.

FAA's Determination

    The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe 
condition described previously is likely to exist or

[[Page 51746]]

develop on other products of the same type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0106 RB, 
dated January 3, 2023. This service information specifies procedures 
for a maintenance records check for repairs at the forward and aft 
hinge areas of the main deck cargo door cutout; repetitive open-hole 
high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections for cracks in the 
unrepaired areas of the bear strap, skin, doubler, and upper sill chord 
at the main deck cargo door forward and aft hinge attachment holes; and 
corrective actions including obtaining and following procedures for 
alternative inspections and crack repairs.
    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 ADDRESSES.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information already described 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 regulations.gov by searching for and locating 
Docket No. FAA-2023-1488.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 445 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following 
costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
                Action                         Labor cost           Parts cost        product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maintenance records check.............  1 work-hour * x $85 per               $0             $85         $37,825
                                         hour = $85.
HFEC inspections......................  26 work-hours x $85 per                0           2,210         983,450
                                         hour = $2,210, per
                                         inspection cycle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The time to do the maintenance records check will vary by operator but would likely take no more than 1 work-
  hour per airplane.

    The FAA has received no definitive data on which to base the cost 
estimates for the crack repairs 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

    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:

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2023-1488; Project Identifier AD-
2023-00182-T.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by September 18, 2023.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 757-200, -200CB, and 
-200PF series airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified 
in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0106 RB, dated January 
3, 2023.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report indicating an operator has 
found cracks on three Model 757-200PF airplanes at the main deck 
cargo door forward and aft hinge attachment holes. The FAA is 
issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the main deck cargo 
door hinge area. Undetected cracks in the main deck cargo door hinge 
could result in reduced structural integrity of the aircraft.

(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 
Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0106 RB, dated January 3, 2023, 
do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 
757-53A0106 RB, dated January 3, 2023.
    Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions 
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 
757-53A0106, dated January 3, 2023, which is referred to in Boeing 
Alert

[[Page 51747]]

Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0106 RB, dated January 3, 2023.

(h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications

    (1) Where the Compliance Time column and notes of the tables in 
the ``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 
757-53A0106 RB, dated January 3, 2023, use the phrase ``the original 
issue date of Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0106 RB,'' this AD 
requires using ``the effective date of this AD.''
    (2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0106 RB, 
dated January 3, 2023, specifies contacting Boeing for repair 
instructions and doing the repair, this AD requires doing the 
repair, or doing the alternative inspections and applicable on-
condition actions, before further flight using a method approved in 
accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (i) of this 
AD.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Continued Operational Safety 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 the attention of 
the person identified in paragraph (j) 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 responsible Flight Standards 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, 
Continued Operational Safety 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

    For more information about this AD, contact Wayne Ha, Aviation 
Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; 
phone: 562-627-5238; email: [email protected].

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference (IBR) 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 the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0106 RB, dated 
January 3, 2023.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) 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; website myboeingfleet.com.
    (4) 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.
    (5) You may view this service information 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 July 8, 2023.
Michael Linegang,
Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-16365 Filed 8-3-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P