Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 211 (Thursday, October 31, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 65171-65173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25308]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0667; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-062-AD; 
Amendment 39-17639; AD 2013-22-07]
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 certain 
The Boeing Company Model 747-400 series airplanes. This AD was prompted 
by reports of fasteners missing on an airplane undergoing a passenger-
to-freighter conversion. This AD requires doing a general visual 
inspection of the station 1920 splice clip for correct fastener 
installation, and related investigative and corrective actions if 
necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct missing or 
incorrect fasteners, which can lead to cracking and loss of load 
carrying capacity, resulting in a possible decompression event.

DATES: This AD is effective December 5, 2013.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of December 5, 
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 view this referenced service information 
at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 
Renton, WA. 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: Bill Ashforth, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-6432; fax: 
425-917-6590; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to the specified products. The 
NPRM published in the Federal Register on August 1, 2013 (78 FR 46540). 
The NPRM proposed to require doing a general visual inspection of the 
station 1920 splice clip for correct fastener installation, 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 comment received. The Boeing Company 
supports the NPRM (78 FR 46540, August 1, 2013).

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment 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 46540, August 1, 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 46540, August 1, 2013).

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 3 airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
               Action                        Labor cost           Parts cost        product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection for correct fastener       2 work-hours x $85 per               $0             $170             $510
 installation.                         hour = $170.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do any necessary repairs that 
would be required based on the results of the inspection. We have no 
way of determining the number of aircraft that might need these 
repairs:

                                               On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Cost per
                    Action                                 Labor cost               Parts cost        product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspections for cracking......................  3 work-hours x $85 per hour =                 $0            $255
                                                 $255.
Fastener installation.........................  2 work-hours x $85 per hour =                  0             170
                                                 $170.
Repair........................................  2 work-hours x $85 per hour =                  0             170
                                                 $170.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    According to the manufacturer, some of the costs of this AD may be 
covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected 
individuals. We do not control warranty coverage for affected 
individuals. As a result, we

[[Page 65172]]

have included all costs in our cost estimate.

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):

2013-22-07 The Boeing Company: Amendment 39-17639; Docket No. FAA-
2013-0667; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-062-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective December 5, 2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 747-400 series 
airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in Boeing 
Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2844, Revision 1, dated July 30, 2012.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of fasteners missing on an 
airplane undergoing a passenger-to-freighter conversion. We are 
issuing this AD to detect and correct missing or incorrect 
fasteners, which can lead to cracking and loss of load carrying 
capacity, resulting in a possible decompression event.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Inspection

    Except as required by paragraph (h)(1) of this AD, at the times 
specified in paragraph 1.E., ``Compliance,'' of Boeing Alert Service 
Bulletin 747-53A2844, Revision 1, dated July 30, 2012: Do a general 
visual inspection for correct installation of the station 1920 
splice clip common to the auxiliary sill web and the tie clip, and 
do all applicable related investigative and corrective actions, in 
accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 
Service Bulletin 747-53A2844, Revision 1, dated July 30, 2012, 
except as required by paragraph (h)(2) of this AD. Do all applicable 
related investigative and corrective actions before further flight.

(h) Exceptions to the Service Information

    (1) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2844, Revision 1, 
dated July 30, 2012, specifies a compliance time ``after the 
original issue date of the service bulletin,'' this AD requires 
compliance within the specified compliance time after the effective 
date of this AD.
    (2) If any cracking is found during any inspection required by 
this AD, and Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2844, Revision 1, 
dated July 30, 2012, specifies contacting Boeing for appropriate 
action: Before further flight, repair using a method approved in 
accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (j) of this 
AD.

(i) Credit for Previous Actions

    This paragraph provides credit for actions required by paragraph 
(g) of this AD, if those actions were performed before the effective 
date of this AD using Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2844, 
dated September 15, 2011, except the detailed inspection for 
cracking of the auxiliary sill outer chord tee and attached parts 
and all applicable related investigative and corrective actions must 
be done in accordance with Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-
53A2844, Revision 1, dated July 30, 2012, at the times specified in 
paragraph (g) of this AD. Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2844, 
dated September 15, 2011, is not incorporated by reference in this 
AD.

(j) 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 paragraph (k) 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.

(k) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Bill Ashforth, 
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; 
phone: 425-917-6432; fax: 425-917-6590; email: 
[email protected].
    (2) Service information identified in this AD that is not 
incorporated by reference may be obtained at the addresses specified 
in paragraphs (i)(3) and (i)(4) of this AD.

(l) 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 Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2844, Revision 1, dated 
July 30, 2012.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial

[[Page 65173]]

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, WA. 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 October 17, 2013.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-25308 Filed 10-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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