Airworthiness Directives; The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. PA-42 Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 132 (Monday, July 10, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42281-42283]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-17295]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000-CE-20-AD; Amendment 39-11817; AD 2000-14-08]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. PA-42 
Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that 
applies to all The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) PA-42 series 
airplanes that are equipped with pneumatic deicing boots. This AD 
requires you to revise the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to include 
requirements for activation of the airframe pneumatic deicing boots. 
This AD is the result of reports of in-flight incidents and an accident 
(on airplanes other than the affected Piper airplanes) that occurred in 
icing conditions where the airframe pneumatic deicing boots were not 
activated. The Piper PA-42 series airplanes have a similar type design 
(as it relates to airframe pneumatic deice boots) to the incident and 
accident airplanes. The actions specified by this AD are intended to 
assure that flight crews activate the pneumatic wing and

[[Page 42282]]

tail deicing boots at the first signs of ice accumulation. This action 
will prevent reduced controllability of the aircraft due to adverse 
aerodynamic effects of ice adhering to the airplane prior to the first 
deicing cycle.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This AD becomes effective on August 21, 2000.

ADDRESSES: You may examine information related to this AD at the 
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 2000-CE-20-AD, 901 
Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: S.M. Nagarajan, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4145; facsimile: (816) 329-4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Events Leading to the Issuance of This AD

    What caused this AD?
    This AD is the result of reports of in-flight incidents and an 
accident (on airplanes other than the affected Piper airplanes) that 
occurred in icing conditions where the airframe pneumatic deicing boots 
were not activated. The Piper PA-42 series airplanes have a similar 
type design (as it relates to airframe pneumatic deice boots) to the 
incident and accident airplanes.
    What is the potential impact if the FAA took no action? The 
information necessary to activate the pneumatic wing and tail deicing 
boots at the first signs of ice accumulation is critical for flight in 
icing conditions. If we did not take action to include this 
information, flight crews could experience reduced controllability of 
the aircraft due to adverse aerodynamic effects of ice adhering to the 
airplane prior to the first deicing cycle.
    Has FAA taken any action to this point? We issued a proposal to 
amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to 
include an AD that would apply to all Piper PA-42 series airplanes that 
are equipped with pneumatic deicing boots. This proposal was published 
in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on 
March 30, 2000 (65 FR 16845). The NPRM proposed to require revising the 
Limitations Section of the AFM to include requirements for activating 
the pneumatic deicing boots at the first indication of ice accumulation 
on the airplane.
    Was the public invited to comment? Interested persons were afforded 
an opportunity to participate in the making of this amendment. No 
comments were received on the proposed rule or the FAA's determination 
of the cost to the public.
    What is FAA's Final Determination on this Issue? After careful 
review of all available information related to the subject presented 
above, we have determined that air safety and the public interest 
require the adoption of the rule as proposed except for minor editorial 
corrections. We determined that these minor corrections:

--will not change the meaning of the AD; and
--will not add any additional burden upon the public than was already 
proposed.

Cost Impact

    How many airplanes does this AD impact? We estimate that this AD 
affects 120 airplanes in the U.S. registry.
    What is the cost impact of the affected airplanes on the U.S. 
Register? There is no dollar cost impact. We estimate 1 workhour for 
you to insert the AFM revision. You can accomplish this action if you 
hold at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by Sec. 43.7 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7). You must make an entry 
into the aircraft records that shows compliance with this AD, in 
accordance with Sec. 43.9 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 
43.9). The only cost impact of this AD is the time it will take you to 
insert the information into the AFM.

Regulatory Impact

    The regulations adopted herein 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. Therefore, it 
is determined that this final rule does not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132.
    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) 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 final evaluation prepared for this 
action is contained 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.

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) 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 adding a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) to read as follows:

2000-14-08  The New Piper Aircraft, Inc.: Amendment 39-11817; Docket 
No. 2000-CE-20-AD.

    (a) What airplanes are affected by this AD? Models PA-42, PA-42-
720, PA-42-720R, and PA-42-1000 airplanes, all serial numbers, that 
are:
    (1) equipped with pneumatic deicing boots; and
    (2) certificated in any category.
    (b) Who must comply with this AD? Anyone who wishes to operate 
any of the above airplanes on the U.S. Register must comply with 
this AD. The AD does not apply to your airplane if it is not 
equipped with pneumatic de-icing boots.
    (c) What problem does this AD address? The information necessary 
to activate the pneumatic wing and tail deicing boots at the first 
signs of ice accumulation is critical for flight in icing 
conditions. If we did not take action to include this information, 
flight crews could experience reduced controllability of the 
aircraft due to adverse aerodynamic effects of ice adhering to the 
airplane prior to the first deicing cycle.
    (d) What must I do to address this problem? To address this 
problem, you must revise the Limitations Section of the FAA-approved 
Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to include the following requirements 
for activation of the ice protection systems. You must accomplish 
this action within the next 10 calendar days after August 21, 2000 
(the effective date of this AD), unless already accomplished. You 
may insert a copy of this AD in the AFM to accomplish this action:
    ``<bullet> Except for certain phases of flight where the AFM 
specifies that deicing boots should not be used (e.g., take-off, 
final approach, and landing), compliance with the following is 
required.
    <bullet> Wing and Tail Leading Edge Pneumatic Deicing Boot 
System, if installed, must be activated:
    --At the first sign of ice formation anywhere on the aircraft, 
or upon annunciation from an ice detector system, whichever occurs 
first; and
    --The system must either be continued to be operated in the 
automatic cycling mode,

[[Page 42283]]

if available; or the system must be manually cycled as needed to 
minimize the ice accretions on the airframe.
    <bullet> The wing and tail leading edge pneumatic deicing boot 
system may be deactivated only after:
    --leaving known or observed/detected icing that the flight crew 
has visually observed on the aircraft or was identified by the on-
board sensors; and
    --after the airplane is determined to be clear of ice.''

    Note: The FAA recommends periodic treatment of deicing boots 
with approved ice release agents, such as ICEX,\TM\ in accordance 
with the manufacturer's application instructions.

    (e) Can the pilot accomplish the action? Anyone who holds at 
least a private pilot certificate, as authorized by section 43.7 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7), may incorporate the 
AFM revisions required by this AD. You must make an entry into the 
aircraft records that shows compliance with this AD, in accordance 
with section 43.9 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.9).
    (f) Can I comply with this AD in any other way? You may use an 
alternative method of compliance or adjust the compliance time if:
    (1) Your alternative method of compliance provides an equivalent 
level of safety; and
    (2) The Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, approves your 
alternative. Submit your request through an FAA Principal 
Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the 
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106.

    Note: This AD applies to each airplane identified in paragraph 
(a) of this AD, 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 (f) 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 you have not eliminated the unsafe condition, specific 
actions you propose to address it.

    (g) Where can I get information about any already-approved 
alternative methods of compliance? Contact S.M. Nagarajan, Aerospace 
Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4145; facsimile: 
(816) 329-4090.
    (h) What if I need to fly the airplane to another location to 
comply with this AD? The FAA can issue a special flight permit under 
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate your airplane to a location where 
you can accomplish the requirements of this AD.
    (i) When does this amendment become effective? This amendment 
becomes effective on August 21, 2000.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 3, 2000.
Marvin R. Nuss,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-17295 Filed 7-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U

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