Airworthiness Directives; the New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Formerly Piper Aircraft Corporation) PA31, PA31P, and PA31T Series Airplanes

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 95-CE-55-AD]

RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; the New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Formerly

Piper Aircraft Corporation) PA31, PA31P, and PA31T Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to supersede AD 75-26-18, which

currently requires modifying the landing gear selector cable forward

attachment pin assembly by installing a safety lock wire on certain The

New Piper Aircraft Inc., (Piper) PA31, PA31P and PA31T series

airplanes. The proposed action would require the same action as AD 75-

26-18. An incorrect designation of Piper Model PA31 airplanes as Piper

Model PA31-310 airplanes in AD 75-26-18 prompted the proposed AD

action. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to

prevent the landing gear selector cable forward attachment pin assembly

from becoming separated from the powerpack control arm, which, if not

corrected, could cause loss of landing gear retraction or extension.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 28, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief

Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-55-AD, Room 1558, 601 E.

12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Comments may be inspected at

this location between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,

holidays excepted.

Service information that applies to the proposed AD may be obtained

from The New Piper Aircraft, Inc., Attn: Customer Service, 2926 Piper

Dr., Vero Beach, Florida, 32960. This information also may be examined

at the Rules Docket at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Marsh, Aerospace Engineer,

FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, Campus Building, 1701

Columbia Avenue, suite 2-160, College Park, Georgia, 30337-2748;

telephone (404) 305-7362; facsimile (404) 305-7348.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the

proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as

they may desire. Communications should identify the Rules Docket number

and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All

communications received on or before the closing date for comments,

specified above, will be considered before taking action on the

proposed rule. The proposals contained in this notice may be changed in

light of the comments received.

Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,

economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All

comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing

date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested

persons. A report that summarizes each FAA-public contact concerned

with the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this notice must submit a self-addressed,

stamped

[[Page 18698]]

postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments to Docket

No. 95-CE-55-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and returned to

the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request

to the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-55-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,

Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

It has been brought to the attention of the FAA that AD 75-26-18,

which is applicable to Piper PA31 series airplanes, should not have

listed a Piper Model PA31-310 airplane. The Piper Model PA31-310

airplane is not a recognized model on the Type Certificate Data Sheet

No. A20SO and the airplane's data plate for the airplane subject to the

AD states Model PA31, not Model PA31-310. The concern was raised that

some owners/operators of Model PA31 airplanes may not have complied

with AD 75-26-18, since the AD currently describes the airplane as a

Piper Model PA31-310, even though their serial number falls within the

serial number range in the current AD. For this reason, the FAA is

proposing to supersede the current AD to change the model designation

in the Applicability section of the AD from a Piper Model PA31-310

airplane to Piper Model PA31 airplane.

Piper has issued service bulletin (SB) No. 488, dated October 24,

1975, which specifies procedures for modifying the landing gear

selector cable forward attachment pin assembly.

After examining the circumstances and reviewing all available

information related to the incidents described above, the FAA has

determined that AD action should be taken to prevent the landing gear

selector cable forward attachment pin assembly from becoming separated

from the powerpack control arm.

Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to

exist or develop in other Piper PA31, PA31P, and PA31T series airplanes

of the same type design, the proposed AD would supersede AD 75-26-18

with a new AD that would retain the same requirement as AD 75-26-18

which is modifying the landing gear selector cable forward attachment

pin assembly, part number (P/N) 53599-00, by installing 3 inches of

safety lock wire (MS20995C41) onto the attachment pin assembly, and the

proposed action requires changing the Applicability section for the

model designations from Piper Model PA31-310 airplanes to Piper Model

PA31 airplanes.

The FAA estimates that 875 airplanes in the U.S. registry would be

affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 1

workhour per airplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the

average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost

approximately 25 cents per airplane. Based on these figures, the total

cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be

$52,718.75.

The regulations proposed herein would not have substantial direct

effects 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. Therefore, in

accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this

proposal would not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant

the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (1) Is

not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866;

(2) is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and

Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and (3) if promulgated,

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. A copy of the draft regulatory evaluation

prepared for this action has been placed in the Rules Docket. A copy of

it may be obtained by contacting the Rules Docket at the location

provided under the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 14

CFR part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

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]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by removing Airworthiness Directive

(AD), 75-26-18, Amendment 39-2504, and by adding a new AD to read as

follows:

The New Piper Aircraft, Inc.: Docket No. 95-CE-55-AD; Supersedes AD

75-26-18, Amendment 39-2504.

Applicability: PA31, PA31P, and PA31T series airplanes with the

following Model and serial numbers, certificated in any category.

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Models Serial Nos.

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PA-31 and PA-31-325....................... 31-7300950 through 31-

7612017

PA-31-350................................. 31-7305048, 31-7305049, and

31-7305052 through 31-

7652032

PA-31P.................................... 31P-7300128 through 31P-

7630005

PA-31T.................................... 31T-7400002 through 31T-

7620013.

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Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the

preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been

modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the

requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified,

altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of

this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (c) of

this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of

the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition

addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been

eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to

address it. Compliance: Required within 50 hours time-in-service

(TIS) after February 9, 1976 (effective date of AD 75-26-18) or

within the next 25 hours TIS after the effective date of this AD,

whichever occurs later, unless already accomplished.

To prevent the landing gear selector cable forward attachment

pin assembly from becoming separated from the powerpack control arm,

which if not corrected could cause loss of landing gear retraction

or extension, accomplish the following:

(a) Modify the landing gear selector cable forward attachment

pin assembly by installing a safety lock wire in accordance with the

Instructions section of Piper service bulletin No. 488, dated

October 24, 1975.

(b) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with 14

CFR 21.197 and 21.199 to operate the airplane to a location where

the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.

(c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of

compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be

approved by the Manager, FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office,

Campus Building, 1701 Columbia Avenue, suite 2-160, College Park,

Georgia 30337-2748. The request shall be forwarded through an

appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office.

Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved

alternative methods of

[[Page 18699]]

compliance with this AD, if any, may be obtained from the Atlanta

Aircraft Certification Office.

(d) Alternative methods of compliance approved in accordance

with AD 75-26-18 (superseded by this action) are considered approved

as alternative methods of compliance with this AD.

(e) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of

the document referred to herein upon request to The New Piper

Aircraft, Inc., Attn: Customer Service, 2926 Piper Dr., Vero Beach,

Florida, 32960; or may examine this document at the FAA, Central

Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E.

12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

(f) This amendment supersedes AD 75-26-18, Amendment 39-2504.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 19, 1996.

Henry A. Armstrong,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification

Service.

[FR Doc. 96-10452 Filed 4-26-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-P