Proposed Rule2022-01955
Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc., Airplanes
Primary source
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Published
February 1, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Piper Aircraft, Inc., (Piper) Model PA-46-600TP airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by testing that showed that the wing splice assembly could fail before the assembly reaches its established life limit. This proposed AD would require revising the Airworthiness Limitations section of the existing maintenance manual (MM) or instructions for continued airworthiness to reduce the life limit of the wing splice assembly. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 21 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5428-5430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01955]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2022-0021; Project Identifier AD-2020-01283-A]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc., 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 Piper Aircraft, Inc., (Piper) Model PA-46-600TP airplanes.
This proposed AD was prompted by testing that showed that the wing
splice assembly could fail before the assembly reaches its established
life limit. This proposed AD would require revising the Airworthiness
Limitations section of the existing maintenance manual (MM) or
instructions for continued airworthiness to reduce the life limit of
the wing splice assembly. 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 March 18,
2022.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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 Piper
Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32960; phone: (772)
299-2141; website: <a href="https://www.piper.com">https://www.piper.com</a>. You may view the 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 (817) 222-5110.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0021; 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Marshall, Aviation Safety
Engineer, Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park,
GA 30337; phone: (404) 474-5524; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4822272026663a6625293a3b20292424082e2929662f273e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="96fcf9fef8b8e4b8fbf7e4e5fef7fafad6f0f7f7b8f1f9e0">[email protected]</span></a>.
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-2022-0021; Project Identifier
AD-2020-01283-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
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, 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
[[Page 5429]]
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 John Marshall, Aviation Safety Engineer, Atlanta ACO Branch,
FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337. 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 was notified by Piper of testing that showed that the wing
splice assembly, part number (P/N) 46W57A100-001, could fail before
reaching its established life limit on Model PA-46-600-TP airplanes.
The wing splice assembly was certificated with a life limit of 5,132
hours time-in-service (TIS); however, the failures of the test assembly
occurred before reaching that established life limit. The stress levels
used in the life limit analysis were not adequate. After a new fatigue
test article analysis, Piper reduced the life limit of the wing splice
assembly P/N 46W57A100-001 from 5,132 hours TIS to 3,767 hours TIS and
revised the Airworthiness Limitations section in the MM accordingly.
Failure of the wing splice assembly, if not addressed, could result
in loss of airplane control. Airplanes having serial numbers 4698186
and larger (in production airplanes) will be delivered with an
Airworthiness Limitations section with the reduced life limit
incorporated.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other
products of the same type design.
Related Service Information
The FAA reviewed Piper Aircraft, Inc., PA-46-600TP, M600
Maintenance Manual, Airworthiness Limitations, Section 4-00-00, dated
August 31, 2021. This service information specifies the life limits of
structural parts for the Model PA-46-600TP airplane, and reduced the
life limit for the wing splice assembly.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require revising the Airworthiness
Limitations section of the existing MM or instructions for continued
airworthiness to reduce the life limit of the wing splice assembly.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 127 airplanes of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:
Estimated Costs
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Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost airplane operators
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Revise the Airworthiness 1 work-hour x $85 Not Applicable......... $85 $10,795
Limitations section. per hour = $85.
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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:
Piper Aircraft, Inc.: Docket No. FAA-2022-0021; Project Identifier
AD-2020-01283-A.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by March 18, 2022.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Piper Aircraft, Inc., Model PA-46-600TP
airplanes, serial numbers 4698001 and 4698004 through 4698185,
certificated in any category.
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 5711, Wing Spar.
[[Page 5430]]
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD results from testing that showed that the wing splice
assembly could fail before the assembly reaches its established life
limit. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent failure of the wing
splice assembly before the current established life limit. The
unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in loss of airplane
control.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Action
Within 90 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the
Airworthiness Limitations section in the existing maintenance manual
or instructions for continued airworthiness by reducing the life
limit of the wing splice assembly part number 46W57A100-001 to 3,767
hours time-in-service.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Section 4-00-00 of Piper Aircraft,
Inc., PA-46-600TP, M600 Maintenance Manual, Airworthiness
Limitations, Page 1, dated August 31, 2021, contains the life limit
in paragraph (g) of this AD.
(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, Atlanta ACO 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 paragraph (i)(1) of this AD.
(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 John Marshall,
Aviation Safety Engineer, Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia
Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone: (404) 474-5524; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#670d080f094915490a0615140f060b0b2701060649000811"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="80eaefe8eeaef2aeede1f2f3e8e1ececc0e6e1e1aee7eff6">[email protected]</span></a>.
(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact Piper
Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32960; phone: (772)
299-2141; website: <a href="https://www.piper.com">https://www.piper.com</a>. 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 (817) 222-5110.
Issued on January 26, 2022.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-01955 Filed 1-31-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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