[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 222 (Monday, November 20, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 80647-80648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25700]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2023-1893; Project Identifier AD-2023-00389-A]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; FS 2001 Corp, FS 2002 Corporation, FS 
2003 Corporation, Piper, and Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); extension of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: This document announces an extension of the comment period for 
the referenced NPRM, which proposed the adoption of a new airworthiness 
directive (AD) for certain FS 2001 Corp, FS 2002 Corporation, FS 2003 
Corporation, Piper, and Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) airplanes. This 
NPRM invited comments concerning the proposed requirement of replacing 
any rudder equipped with a rudder post made from a certain carbon steel 
with a rudder equipped with a rudder post made from a certain low-alloy 
steel. This extension of the comment period is necessary to provide all 
interested persons an opportunity to present their views on the 
proposed requirements of this NPRM.

DATES: The comment period for the NPRM published on October 6, 2023, at 
88 FR 69556, and scheduled to close on November 20, 2023, is extended 
until February 20, 2024.

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 by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2023-1893; 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

[[Page 80648]]

information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Zuklic, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 
(206) 231-3858; 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-2023-1893; Project Identifier 
AD-2023-00389-A'' 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 
Joseph Zuklic, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, 
Des Moines, WA 98198. 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 FAA issued an NPRM to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that 
would apply to certain FS 2001 Corp, FS 2002 Corporation, FS 2003 
Corporation, Piper, and Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) airplanes, as 
listed in the NPRM. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on 
October 6, 2023 (88 FR 69556). The NPRM was prompted by reports of two 
non-fatal accidents involving airplanes designed and built by Piper 
that were caused by broken rudder posts that structurally failed above 
the upper hinge in flight. Both accidents occurred in Anchorage, 
Alaska. The first accident occurred on June 8, 2020, and involved an FS 
2003 Model PA-12 airplane and the second accident occurred on July 23, 
2021, and involved an FS 2002 Model PA-14 airplane. Both airplanes 
sustained substantial damage when the rudder structurally failed. After 
examination, it was determined that the rudder posts fractured above 
the upper hinge, the top portion of the rudder folded over the upper 
tail brace wires, and the rudder posts were made from 1025 carbon steel 
and fractured due to fatigue. This condition, if not addressed, could 
result in a broken rudder and consequent reduced ability of the flight 
crew to maintain the safe flight and landing of the airplane.
    In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require replacing any rudder 
equipped with a rudder post made from 1025 carbon steel with a rudder 
equipped with a rudder post made from 4130N low-alloy steel.

Actions Since the NPRM Was Issued

    Since issuance of the NPRM, the FAA has received a request from the 
Airplane Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Short Wing Piper 
Club, and other commenters to extend the comment period. The commenters 
state that the NPRM is controversial and could drive substantial costs, 
among other things. To be able to prepare informed and meaningful 
comments with coordinated consensus among its members, AOPA requested 
an extension of 90 days to the comment period.
    The FAA agrees with the request and has determined that it is 
appropriate to extend the comment period for the NPRM to give all 
interested persons additional time to examine the proposed requirements 
and submit comments. The FAA has determined that extending the comment 
period an additional 90 days will not compromise the safety of the 
affected airplanes.

Extension of Comment Period

    The FAA has reviewed the requests for extension of the comment 
period for this notice. The commenters have shown a substantive 
interest in the proposed policy and good cause for the extension of the 
comment period. Therefore, in accordance with 14 CFR 11.47(c), the FAA 
has determined that an extension of the comment period for an 
additional 90 days to February 20, 2024 is consistent with the public 
interest, and that good cause exists for taking this action.
    Accordingly, the comment period for Docket No. FAA-2023-1893 is 
extended until February 20, 2024.
    Because no other portion of the proposal or other regulatory 
information has been changed, the entire proposal is not being 
republished.

    Issued under authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, and 
44701.

    Issued on November 16, 2023.
Caitlin Locke,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-25700 Filed 11-16-23; 4:15 pm]
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