Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49906-49908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18098]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0361; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-026-AD; 
Amendment 39-17527; AD 2013-15-11]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The 
Boeing Company Model 727 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of 
cracking in the left-side chord of the fin closure rib on the vertical 
stabilizer. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the left and 
right side chords of the fin closure rib for cracking and corrosion, 
and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are 
issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking and corrosion in the 
left- and right-side chords of the fin closure rib, which could lead to 
widespread cracking in the chords that might weaken the fin closure rib 
structure and result in loss of airplane control due to lack of 
horizontal stabilizer support.

DATES: This AD is effective September 20, 2013.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of September 20, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management, 
P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, WA 98124-2207; telephone 206-544-
5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may review copies of the referenced service 
information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 
Avenue SW., Renton, Washington. For information on the availability of 
this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The address for the 
Docket Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is Document Management Facility, 
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: Berhane Alazar, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-
6577; fax: 425-917-6590; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. 
The NPRM published in the Federal

[[Page 49907]]

Register on May 2, 2013 (78 FR 25662). The NPRM proposed to require 
repetitive inspections of the left- and right-side chords of the fin 
closure rib for cracking and corrosion, and related investigative and 
corrective actions if necessary.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We have considered the comments received. Boeing stated that 
it supports the NPRM (78 FR 25662, May 2, 2013).
    FedEx Express commented that it has four airplanes that will be 
affected by the NPRM (78 FR 25662, May 2, 2013). This commenter also 
noted that the proposed inspection threshold and intervals can be 
accomplished within its planned scheduled maintenance checks, that the 
work-hours and elapsed time to accomplish the proposed inspections will 
not impact the overall span-time of the planned scheduled maintenance 
check, and that the proposed inspections do not require any special 
inspection techniques, training, or tooling.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, 
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting 
this AD as proposed--except for minor editorial changes. We have 
determined that these minor changes:
    <bullet> Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM (78 FR 25662, May 2, 2013) for correcting the unsafe condition; 
and
    <bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 25662, May 2, 2013).

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 98 airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Action                   Labor cost        Parts cost     Cost per product     Cost on U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspections.................  17 work-hours x $85            $0   $1,445 per inspection   $141,610 per
                               per hour = $1,445 per               cycle.                  inspection cycle.
                               inspection cycle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We have received no definitive data that would enable us to provide 
cost estimates for the on-condition actions specified in this AD.

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.
    We are 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) Is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and 
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (4) 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, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of 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 (AD):

2013-15-11 The Boeing Company: Amendment 39-17527; Docket No. FAA-
2013-0361; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-026-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective September 20, 2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all The Boeing Company Model 727, 727C, 727-
100, 727-100C, 727-200, and 727-200F series airplanes, certificated 
in any category.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 55, Stabilizers.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report of cracking in the left-side 
chord of the fin closure rib on the vertical stabilizer. We are 
issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking and corrosion in the 
left- and right-side chords of the fin closure rib, which could lead 
to widespread cracking in the chords that might weaken the fin 
closure rib structure, and result in loss of airplane control due to 
lack of horizontal stabilizer support.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Detailed and High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) Inspections

    Within 24 months after the effective date of this AD: Do a 
detailed inspection for cracking and corrosion of the left- and 
right-side chords of the fin closure rib, and do a HFEC inspection 
of the left- and right-side chords for cracking, in accordance with 
the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Special Attention Service 
Bulletin 727-55-0095, dated September 24, 2012. If any cracking or 
corrosion is found, before further flight, repair or replace the 
affected right- or left-side chord using a method approved in 
accordance with the procedures specified in

[[Page 49908]]

paragraph (h) of this AD. Repeat the detailed inspection and HFEC 
inspection thereafter at intervals not to exceed 26 months.

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
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 ACO, send it to the 
attention of the person identified in the Related Information 
section of this AD. Information may be emailed to: [email protected].
    (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.
    (3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used for any repair required by this AD if it is approved by the 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization Designation Authorization 
(ODA) that has been authorized by the Manager, Seattle ACO, to make 
those findings. For a repair method to be approved, the repair must 
meet the certification basis of the airplane, and the approval must 
specifically refer to this AD.

(i) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Berhane Alazar, 
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 
98057-3356; phone: 425-917-6577; fax: 425-917-6590; email: 
[email protected].

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed 
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 727-55-0095, dated 
September 24, 2012.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management, 
P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, WA 98124-2207; telephone 206-544-
5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com.
    (4) You may view this service information at FAA, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
425-227-1221.
    (5) You may view this service information that is incorporated 
by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at 
NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 21, 2013.
Stephen P. Boyd,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-18098 Filed 8-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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