Rule2022-10863
Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes
Primary source
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Published
May 23, 2022
Effective
June 27, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Model PA-46-600TP airplanes. This AD was prompted by testing that showed that the wing splice assembly could fail before the assembly reaches its established life limit. This AD requires revising the Airworthiness Limitations section (ALS) of the existing maintenance manual (MM) or instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) to reduce the life limit of the wing splice assembly. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 99 (Monday, May 23, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 99 (Monday, May 23, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 31095-31097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10863]
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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;
Amendment 39-22060; AD 2022-11-10]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Model PA-46-600TP airplanes. This
AD was prompted by testing that showed that the wing splice assembly
could fail before the assembly reaches its established life limit. This
AD requires revising the Airworthiness Limitations section (ALS) of the
existing maintenance manual (MM) or instructions for continued
airworthiness (ICA) to reduce the life limit of the wing splice
assembly. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on
these products.
DATES: This AD is effective June 27, 2022.
ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule,
contact Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32960;
phone: (772) 291-2141; website: <a href="https://www.piper.com">https://www.piper.com</a>. 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 (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 final rule, any
comments received, and other information. The address for Docket
Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-
30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE, Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fred Caplan, Aviation Safety Engineer,
Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337;
phone: (404) 474-5507; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2c4a5e4948495e454f470242024f4d5c404d426c4a4d4d024b435a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f59387909190879c969edb9bdb96948599949bb5939494db929a83">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain serial-numbered
Piper Model PA-46-600TP airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal
Register on February 1, 2022 (87 FR 5428). The NPRM was prompted by
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-46-600TP 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.
In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require revising the Airworthiness
Limitations section of the existing MM or ICA to reduce the life limit
of the wing splice assembly. Failure of the wing splice assembly, if
not addressed, could result in loss of airplane control. The FAA is
issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive
Comments
The FAA received comments from Piper. The following presents the
comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to each comment.
[[Page 31096]]
Request Regarding Applicability and Cost of Compliance
Piper requested that the FAA update the applicable serial numbers.
The applicable serial numbers in the proposed AD were based upon the
understanding that airworthiness limitations with the new wing splice
assembly life limit would be delivered with new airplanes beginning
with serial number 4698186. However, while the AD was in development,
airworthiness limitations with the new life limit were actually
delivered with new airplanes with serial numbers 4698147, 4698149, and
4698158 and larger.
The FAA agrees and has revised the applicability of this AD
accordingly.
Based on its comment regarding the applicable serial numbers, Piper
also requested that the FAA revise the estimated Costs of Compliance
section. Piper stated that the costs would be reduced because there are
fewer affected airplanes.
The FAA agrees that the estimated Costs of Compliance should be
updated to reflect the correct number of affected airplanes. However,
the FAA's original estimate of the number of affected airplanes was in
error. The FAA has corrected that error in the Costs of Compliance
section of this final rule, resulting in a higher count of airplanes.
Request Regarding Required Actions
Piper stated that operators cannot physically comply with paragraph
(g), Action, of the proposed AD, which proposed to require revising the
ALS by reducing the life limit of the wing splice assembly. Piper
stated that the ICA are delivered with the airplane in an electronic
format on a CD-ROM. Piper requested that the FAA change this action by
requiring a logbook entry documenting the change in life limit of the
wing splice assembly.
The FAA does not agree that operators are unable to comply with the
AD as proposed. While the AD mandates revising the ALS to reduce the
life limit, it does not specify any particular method that operators
must use to do the revision. One acceptable method is to replace the
existing CD-ROM document with a new CD-ROM that includes the new life
limit. As long as the ALS of an operator's existing MM or ICA includes
the new life limit, then the operator has complied with this AD. The
FAA did not change this AD based on this comment.
Request Regarding Related Information
Piper requested that the FAA revise Note 1 to paragraph (g) of the
proposed AD to include the December 4, 2020, version of the ALS. Piper
stated the initial life limit reduction for wing splice assembly P/N
46W57A100-001 was introduced in the December 4, 2020, version of the
ALS. The August 31, 2021, version of the ALS, which was included in the
proposed AD, contains the reduced life limit for wing splice assembly
P/N 46W57A100-001 and introduces new part numbers for the wing splice
assembly (P/N 46W57A100-002) and a service wing assembly (P/N
46W00A700-702).
The FAA agrees that the December 4, 2020, version of the ALS
contains the reduced wing splice assembly life limit, but does not
agree that a change to this AD is necessary. As previously explained,
the AD does not specify any particular method that operators must use
to revise the ALS. One acceptable method is incorporating the life
limit specified in Piper Aircraft, Inc. PA-46-600TP, M600 Maintenance
Manual, Airworthiness Limitations, Page 1, dated December 4, 2020.
The FAA did not change this AD based on this comment.
Conclusion
The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments
received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as
proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products. Except for the changes described
previously, this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the
changes will increase the economic burden on any operator.
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 reduces the
life limit for the wing splice assembly.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD affects 139 airplanes of U.S.
registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this 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 ALS................... 1 work-hour x $85 Not Applicable.......... $85 $11,815
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
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,
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Will 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, Safety.
[[Page 31097]]
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:
2022-11-10 Piper Aircraft, Inc.: Amendment 39-22060; Docket No. FAA-
2022-0021; Project Identifier AD-2020-01283-A.
(a) Effective Date
This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective June 27, 2022.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Piper Aircraft, Inc. Model PA-46-600TP
airplanes, serial numbers 4698001, 4698004 through 4698146
inclusive, 4698148, and 4698150 through 4698157 inclusive,
certificated in any category.
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 5711, Wing Spar.
(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 Fred Caplan,
Aviation Safety Engineer, Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia
Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone: (404) 474-5507; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ea8c988f8e8f98838981c484c4898b9a868b84aa8c8b8bc48d859c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ef899d8a8b8a9d868c84c181c18c8e9f838e81af898e8ec1888099">[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) 291-2141; website: <a href="https://www.piper.com">https://www.piper.com</a>.
(j) Material Incorporated by Reference
None.
Issued on May 17, 2022.
Gaetano A. Sciortino,
Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, Compliance & Airworthiness
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-10863 Filed 5-20-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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