Proposed Rule2023-25700
Airworthiness Directives; FS 2001 Corp, FS 2002 Corporation, FS 2003 Corporation, Piper, and Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 20, 2023
Effective
October 6, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 222 (Monday, November 20, 2023)</title>
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[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 [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[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:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://regulations.gov">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.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> 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: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#80eaeff3e5f0e8aef2aefaf5ebece9e3c0e6e1e1aee7eff6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a0005190f1a02441844101f010603092a0c0b0b440d051c">[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-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
<a href="http://regulations.gov">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 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]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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