Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 69 (Monday, April 11, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 21261-21263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07580]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-5432; Directorate Identifier 2016-CE-009-AD; 
Amendment 39-18466; AD 2016-07-21]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-20-13 for 
certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-28-161, PA-28-181, and PA-28R-
201 airplanes. AD 2015-20-13 required inspecting the right wing rib at 
wing station 140.09 for cracks and taking necessary corrective action. 
This AD retains the actions for AD 2015-20-13 and adds airplanes to the 
applicability. This AD was prompted by reports that additional 
airplanes have been found with the same cracks. We are issuing this AD 
to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective April 26, 2016.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 26, 
2016.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain other publication listed in this AD as of 
October 29, 2015 (80 FR 61725, October 14, 2015).
    We must receive any comments on this AD by May 26, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    <bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this final rule, contact 
Piper Aircraft, Inc., Customer Service, 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, 
Florida 32960; telephone: (877) 879-0275; fax: none; email: 
[email protected]; Internet: www.piper.com. 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. It is 
also available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-5432.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-
5432; 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 street address for the Docket Office (phone: 
800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available 
in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory ``Keith'' Noles, Aerospace 
Engineer, FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, 1701 Columbia 
Avenue, College Park, Georgia 30337; phone: (404) 474-5551; fax: (404) 
474-5606; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On October 1, 2015, we issued AD 2015-20-13, Amendment 39-18292 (80 
FR 61725), (``AD 2015-20-13''), for certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models 
PA-28-161, PA-28-181, and PA-28R-201 airplanes. AD 2015-20-13 required 
inspecting the right wing rib at wing station 140.09 for cracks and 
taking necessary corrective action. AD 2015-20-13 resulted from a 
report from Piper Aircraft, Inc. of a production quality control 
problem on certain Models PA-28-161, PA-28-181, and PA-28R-201 
airplanes. A change in production tooling and processes caused cracks 
to form along the edge of rib stiffening beads during manufacture. 
These cracks cause reduced structural integrity of the wing, which 
resulted in the inability of the wing rib to carry ultimate load. We 
issued AD 2015-20-13 to detect and correct cracks in the wing rib, 
which if not corrected, could result in reduced structural integrity of 
the wing with consequent loss of control.

Actions Since AD 2015-20-13 Was Issued

    Since we issued AD 2015-20-13, we received reports that operators 
in the field found the same cracks in airplanes outside the original 
applicability. After further investigation, Piper Aircraft, Inc. issued 
a new service bulletin expanding the serial number applicability of the 
affected airplane models. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe 
condition on these products.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1279A, dated 
March 3, 2016. The service bulletin describes procedures for inspecting 
the right wing rib at wing station 140.09 for cracks and for obtaining 
an FAA-

[[Page 21262]]

approved repair if cracks are found. This service information is 
reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it 
through their normal course of business or by the means identified in 
the ADDRESSES section.

FAA's Determination

    We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

AD Requirements

    This AD requires accomplishing the actions specified in the service 
information described previously.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

    An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of 
this AD. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies 
waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because 
cracks in the wing rib, if not detected and corrected immediately, 
could result in reduced structural integrity of the wing with 
consequent loss of control. Therefore, we find that notice and 
opportunity for prior public comment are impracticable and that good 
cause exists for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and we did not provide you with notice and an opportunity to 
provide your comments before it becomes effective. However, we invite 
you to send any written data, views, or arguments about this AD. Send 
your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include 
the docket number FAA-2016-5432 and directorate identifier 2016-CE-009-
AD at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments 
on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects 
of this AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date 
and may amend this AD because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 725 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspect the right wing rib at    1 work-hour x $85  Not applicable..............             $85         $61,625
 wing station 140.09 for cracks.  per hour = $85.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do any necessary repairs that 
will be required based on the results of the inspection. This estimate 
is based on replacement of the rib. We have no way of determining the 
number of airplanes that might need these repairs:

                                               On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Cost per
                    Action                                 Labor cost               Parts cost        product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Repair of the of the wing rib.................  35 work-hours x $85 per hour =              $125          $3,100
                                                 $2,975.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 have included all costs in our cost 
estimate.
    The only cost difference between this AD and AD 2015-20-13 is the 
cost associated with adding 710 airplanes to the Applicability section.

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.

[[Page 21263]]

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation 
Regulations (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 removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 
2015-20-13, Amendment 39-18292 (80 FR 61725, October 14, 2015) and 
adding the following new AD:

2016-07-21 Piper Aircraft, Inc.: Amendment 39-18466; Docket No. FAA-
2016-5432; Directorate Identifier 2016-CE-009-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective April 26, 2016.

(b) Affected ADs

    This AD replaces AD 2015-20-13, Amendment 39-18292 (80 FR 61725) 
(``AD 2015-20-13'').

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the following Piper Aircraft, Inc. airplanes 
certificated in any category.
    (1) Airplanes previously affected by AD 2015-20-13: Model PA-28-
161 airplanes, serial numbers (S/Ns) 2842393 through 2842395; Model 
PA-28-181 airplanes, S/Ns 2843769 through 2843775 and 2843779 
through 2843791; and Model PA-28R-201 airplanes, S/N 2844152.
    (2) Airplanes new to this AD: Model PA-28-161 airplanes, S/Ns 
2842010 through 2842392; Model PA-28-181 airplanes, S/Ns 2843021 
through 2843768; and Model PA-28R-201 airplane, S/Ns 2844004 through 
2844151.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 5712, Wing Ribs/Bulkhead.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of cracks found in the wing rib 
on airplanes outside the Applicability, paragraph (c), of AD 2015-
20-13. The cracks occurred in production during forming of the wing 
rib bead radius. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks 
in the wing rib, which if not corrected, could result in reduced 
structural integrity of the wing with consequent loss of control.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Inspect

    (1) Inspect the right wing rib at wing station (WS) 140.09 for 
cracks at the following compliance times.
    (i) For airplanes previously affected by AD 2015-20-13: Within 
the next 25 hours time-in-service after (TIS) after October 29, 2015 
(the effective date retained from AD 2015-20-13) following the 
INSTRUCTIONS section of Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 
1279, dated August 26, 2015, or Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service 
Bulletin No. 1279A, dated March 3, 2016.
    (ii) For airplanes new to this AD: Within the next 25 hours TIS 
after April 26, 2016 (the effective date of this AD) following the 
INSTRUCTIONS section of Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 
1279A, dated March 3, 2016.
    (2) If any crack is detected during the inspection required by 
paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, before further flight, obtain and 
implement an FAA-approved repair scheme, approved specifically for 
this AD. At the operator's discretion, assistance may be provided by 
contacting Piper Aircraft, Inc. at the address identified in 
paragraph (k)(5) of this AD.

(h) Special Flight Permit

    A special flight permit is allowed for this AD per 14 CFR 39.23 
for the inspection required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD. If a 
crack is found during the inspection required in paragraph (g)(1) of 
this AD, a special flight permit is allowed with the following 
limitations:
    (1) Flight must be planned to the nearest location where repairs 
can be done;
    (2) Indicated airspeed must be 120 knots or less for the entire 
flight;
    (3) Bank angle is not to exceed 30 degrees for the entire 
flight;
    (4) Maximum load factors must be between +3.0 and -1.0 for the 
entire flight; and
    (5) Flight must be performed VFR, with no turbulence greater 
than ``light'' forecast for the planned flight route and altitude.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Atlanta 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 
(j) 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.

(j) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Gregory ``Keith'' 
Noles, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Atlanta ACO, 1701 Columbia Avenue, 
College Park, Georgia 30337; phone: (404) 474-5551; fax: (404) 474-
5606; email: [email protected].

(k) 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.
    (3) The following service information was approved for IBR on 
April 26, 2016.
    (i) Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1279A, dated March 
3, 2016.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (4) The following service information was approved for IBR on 
October 29, 2015 (80 FR 61725, October 14, 2015).
    (i) Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1279, dated August 
26, 2015.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (5) For Piper Aircraft, Inc. service information identified in 
this AD, contact Piper Aircraft, Inc., Customer Service, 2926 Piper 
Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32960; telephone: (877) 879-0275; fax: 
none; email: [email protected]; Internet: www.piper.com.
    (6) You may review the 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. It is also available on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov by searching for locating Docket No. FAA-
2016-5432.
    (7) 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 Kansas City, Missouri, on March 28, 2016.
Jacqueline Jambor,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-07580 Filed 4-8-16; 8:45 am]
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