Airworthiness Directives; Beechcraft Corporation Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 73689-73691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29060]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0753; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-025-AD; 
Amendment 39-17677; AD 2013-24-03]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Beechcraft Corporation 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 
Beechcraft Corporation (type certificate previously held by Hawker 
Beechcraft Corporation) Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D airplanes. This 
AD was prompted by reports of cracking in the front spar cap angles and 
hat section structure of the vertical stabilizer. This AD requires 
inspections of the vertical stabilizer spar angles and hat section for 
cracks with corrective actions as necessary. We are issuing this AD to 
correct the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective January 13, 2014.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of January 13, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Beechcraft Corporation at address: 10511 E. Central, Wichita, Kansas 
67206; phone: (800) 429-5372 or (316) 676-3140; Internet: http://www.beechcraft.com/customer_support/contact_us/. You may view this 
referenced service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 
901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

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: Paul Chapman, Aerospace Engineer, 
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Room 
100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; phone: (316) 946-4152; fax: (316) 946-4107; 
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 27, 2013 (78 FR 
52870). The NPRM proposed to require doing visual inspections of the 
vertical stabilizer spar angles and hat section for cracks and taking 
corrective actions as necessary.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comments received on the proposal 
and the FAA's response to each comment.

Further Support for the AD

    Scott Lewis suggested that the number of cracks reported may not be 
accurate. The commenter stated that his fleet had 53 cracks, which is a 
much higher percentage of airplanes cracked than the 56 cracks reported 
in the 140 airplanes that Beechcraft reported to the FAA. The commenter 
proposed no changes to the AD.
    We agree that the percentage of cracks reported may be low. This 
further justifies the need for the AD action and therefore, no changes 
to the final rule are necessary.

Costs of Compliance Too Low

    Scott Lewis stated the costs supplied by Beechcraft are too low and 
that the actual costs are running $5,983 per side for the spar cap 
angles plus $9,212 for engineer support for a total of $15,195. This is 
compared to the $3,150 cited in the NPRM. This does not include the 
cost of the hat section if it requires repair.

[[Page 73690]]

    We agree with the commenter. After re-verifying the cost estimate 
with Beechcraft, they have corrected the costs as follows:
    <bullet> $6,000 per side for the spar repair kit;
    <bullet> Around $15,000 for engineering support since these are not 
standard repairs.
    We have changed the AD accordingly.

Continued Flight Before Repair Provided Cracks Do Not Propagate

    Scott Lewis stated that he had been issued up to an additional 
2,700 flight hours after a crack was found as long as the crack did not 
propagate. Although no request to change the NPRM was made, the FAA 
infers that the commenter wants to add the provision of flight with 
known cracks provided any known crack does not propagate.
    The FAA does not agree. The FAA's Small Airplane Directorate does 
not allow further flight with known cracks in critical structure 
without additional substantiating data. Advisory Circular (AC) 23-13A, 
Chapter 6, dated September 29, 2005, describes what additional data is 
required to allow flight with known cracks (found on the Internet at 
http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf).
    We are making no changes to the AD based on this comment.

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 52870, August 27, 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 52870, August 27, 2013).

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 400 airplanes.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                                     Estimated Costs
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                                                                                                                           Cost per       Cost on U.S.
                   Action                                     Labor cost                           Parts cost              product          operators
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Visual inspection of the vertical            1.5 work-hours x $85 per hour = $127.50....  Not applicable.............         $127.50           $51,000
 stabilizer spar angles and hat section.
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    We estimate the following costs to do any necessary repairs that 
are required based on the results of the inspection. We have no way of 
determining the number of airplanes that might need these repairs:

                                               On-Condition Costs
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            Action                    Labor cost              Parts cost                Cost per  product
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Repair of the spar cap (right   30 work-hours x $85     $6,000 per side plus    As much as $29,550 if both sides
 hand or left hand).             per hour = $2,550.      $15,000 per             needed repair.
                                                         engineering support.
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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):

2013-24-03 Beechcraft Corporation (type certificate previously held 
by Hawker Beechcraft Corporation): Amendment 39-17677; Docket No. 
FAA-2013-0753; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-025-AD.

[[Page 73691]]

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective January 13, 2014.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the following Beechcraft Corporation 
airplanes in table 1 of this AD, certificated in any category:

           Table 1 to Paragraph (c) of This AD--Applicability
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Model                            Serial Numbers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1900...............................  UA-3.
1900C..............................  UB-1 through UB-74, UC-1 through UC-
                                      174.
1900C (C-12J)......................  UD-1 through UD-6.
1900D..............................  UE-1 through UE-439.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

(d) Subject

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

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of cracking in the front spar 
cap angles and hat section of the vertical stabilizer structure. We 
are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking in the vertical 
stabilizer structure, which could lead to structural failure of the 
vertical stabilizer and result in loss of control.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Visual Inspections

    (1) For all airplanes: Within the next 600 hours time-in-service 
(TIS) after January 13, 2014 (the effective date of this AD), 
inspect part number (P/N) 101-640011-3/-4 spar angles and P/N 114-
640000-25/-26 hat section for cracks following the Accomplishment 
Instructions in paragraph 3.A. of Hawker Beechcraft Mandatory 
Service Bulletin SB 55-4114, dated August 2012.
    (2) For Models 1900 and 1900C airplanes: Within 1,200 hours TIS 
after the initial inspection required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD 
or within 2 years after the initial inspection required in paragraph 
(g)(1) of this AD, whichever occurs first, and repetitively 
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 1,200 hours TIS or 2 years, 
whichever occurs first, inspect P/N 101-640011-3 and P/N 101-640011-
4 spar cap angles for cracks. Follow Procedure 8 under Vertical 
Stabilizer in the ``I'' Check Procedures of Hawker Beechcraft 
Corporation Model 1900/1900C Airliner Structural Inspection Manual, 
Part Number 98-30937G2, dated May 1, 2013.
    (3) For Models 1900 and 1900C airplanes: Within 1,200 hours TIS 
after the initial inspection required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD 
or within 2 years after the initial inspection required in paragraph 
(g)(1) of this AD, whichever occurs first, and repetitively 
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 1,200 hours TIS or 2 years, 
whichever occurs first, inspect P/N 114-640000-25 and P/N 114-
640000-26 hat section for cracks. Follow Procedure 9 under Vertical 
Stabilizer in the ``I'' Check Procedures of Hawker Beechcraft 
Corporation Model 1900/1900C Airliner Structural Inspection Manual, 
Part Number 98-30937G2, dated May 1, 2013.
    (4) For Model 1900D airplanes: Within 1,200 hours TIS after the 
initial inspection required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD or within 
2 years after the initial inspection required in paragraph (g)(1) of 
this AD, whichever occurs first, and repetitively thereafter at 
intervals not to exceed 1,200 hours TIS or 2 years, whichever occurs 
first, inspect P/N 101-640011-3 and P/N 101-640011-4 spar cap angles 
for cracks. Follow Procedure 6.b. under Vertical Stabilizer Canted 
Stabilizer Station (CSS 69.184 through VSS 91.10) in the ``I'' Check 
Procedures of Beechcraft Corporation Model 1900D Airliner Structural 
Inspection Manual, Part Number 129-590000-65E5, dated May 1, 2013.
    (5) For Model 1900D airplanes: Within 1,200 hours TIS after the 
initial inspection required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD or within 
2 years after the initial inspection required in paragraph (g)(1) of 
this AD, whichever occurs first, and repetitively thereafter at 
intervals not to exceed 1,200 hours TIS or 2 years, whichever occurs 
first, inspect P/N 114-640000-25 and P/N 114-640000-26 hat section 
for cracks. Follow Procedure 6.c. under Vertical Stabilizer Canted 
Stabilizer Station (CSS 69.184 through VSS 91.10) in the ``I'' Check 
Procedures of Beechcraft Corporation Model 1900D Airliner Structural 
Inspection Manual, Part Number 129-590000-65E5, dated May 1, 2013.

(h) Repair

    If any cracks are found during any of the inspections required 
in paragraph (g) of this AD, to include all subparagraphs, before 
further flight, you must contact Beechcraft Corporation to obtain 
repair instructions approved by the Wichita Aircraft Certification 
Office (ACO) specifically for compliance with this AD and 
incorporate those instructions. You can find contact information for 
Beechcraft Corporation in paragraph (l)(3) of this AD.

(i) Special Flight Permit

    If cracks are found during any of the inspections required in 
paragraph (g) of this AD, to include all subparagraphs, the FAA may 
allow a one-time special flight permit to a repair facility 
depending on the cracking found. You must contact Beechcraft 
Corporation and provide them with crack detail information for them 
to determine residual strength of the airplane before applying to 
the FAA for a special flight permit. You can find contact 
information for Beechcraft Corporation in paragraph (l)(3) of this 
AD.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Wichita 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.
    (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.

(k) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Paul Chapman, 
Aerospace Engineer, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 1801 
Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; phone: (316) 946-
4152; fax: (316) 946-4107; email: [email protected].

(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 this AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Hawker Beechcraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 55-4114, 
dated August 2012.
    (ii) Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Model 1900/1900C Airliner 
Structural Inspection Manual, Part Number 98-30937G2, dated May 1, 
2013.
    (iii) Beechcraft Corporation Model 1900D Airliner Structural 
Inspection Manual, Part Number 129-590000-65E5, dated May 1, 2013.
    (3) For Beechraft Corporation service information identified in 
this AD, contact Beechcraft Corporation at address: 10511 E. 
Central, Wichita, Kansas 67206; phone: (800) 429-5372 or (316) 676-
3140; Internet: http://www.beechcraft.com/customer_support/contact_us/.
    (4) You may view this service information at the FAA, Small 
Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
(816) 329-4148.
    (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 Kanas City, Missouri, on November 15, 2013.
Earl Lawrence,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-29060 Filed 12-6-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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