Airworthiness Directives; ATR-GIE Avions de Transport Régional Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 222 (Monday, November 22, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66155-66158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25494]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-1008; Project Identifier MCAI-2021-01210-T; 
Amendment 39-21828; AD 2021-24-07]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; ATR--GIE Avions de Transport 
R[eacute]gional Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain ATR--GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42 
airplanes and Model ATR72 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report 
of a certain procedure in the aircraft maintenance

[[Page 66156]]

manual (AMM) that incorrectly described a visual inspection of the fire 
handle. This AD requires a general visual inspection of both engine 
fire handles and applicable corrective actions, as specified in a 
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated 
by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe 
condition on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective November 22, 2021.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of November 22, 
2021.
    The FAA must receive comments on this AD by January 6, 2022.

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 https://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: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For EASA material incorporated by reference (IBR) in this AD, 
contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone 
+49 221 8999 000; email [email protected]; internet 
www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this IBR material on the EASA website 
at https://ad.easa.europa.eu. You may view this material at the FAA, 
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 
216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-1008; or in person at 
Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the mandatory 
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments received, and 
other information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shahram Daneshmandi, Aerospace 
Engineer, Large Aircraft Section, FAA, International Validation Branch, 
2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 206-231-
3220; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments 
about this final rule. Send your comments to an address listed under 
ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2021-1008; Project Identifier MCAI-
2021-01210-T'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the final rule, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this final rule because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each 
substantive verbal contact received about this final rule.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this AD contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this AD, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Shahram 
Daneshmandi, Aerospace Engineer, Large Aircraft Section, FAA, 
International Validation Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 
98198; telephone and fax 206-231-3220; email 
[email protected]. Any commentary that the FAA receives which 
is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public 
docket for this rulemaking.

Background

    EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the 
European Union, has issued EASA Emergency AD 2021-0237-E, dated 
November 4, 2021 (EASA AD 2021-0237-E) (also referred to as the MCAI), 
to correct an unsafe condition for certain ATR--GIE Avions de Transport 
R[eacute]gional Model ATR42-200, -300, -320, -400, and -500 airplanes 
and Model ATR72-101, -102, -201, -202, -211, -212, and -212A airplanes. 
ATR--GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42-400 airplanes 
are not certificated by the FAA and are not included on the U.S. type 
certificate data sheet; this AD therefore does not include those 
airplanes in the applicability.
    This AD was prompted by a report that the AMM maintenance procedure 
ATR-A-26-12-60-00ZZZ-281Z-A ``Scheduled Inspection of the Engine Fire 
Detection Loops'' incorrectly described a visual inspection of the fire 
handle. The maintenance procedure specified to verify that the snap 
wire material attaching the fire handle locking hold-plate was a 
stainless steel lockwire where it should have specified either an 
aluminum snap wire or a copper snap wire. If the engine fire handle 
fails, the flightcrew might not be able to extinguish an engine fire 
using the engine fire extinguisher system, which is the primary method 
for extinguishing engine fires. The FAA is issuing this AD to address 
this condition, which, if not detected and corrected, and combined with 
an engine fire, could lead to a failure of the engine fire handle to 
operate, possibly resulting in an uncontrolled engine fire and reduced 
control of the airplane. See the MCAI for additional background 
information.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    EASA AD 2021-0237-E specifies procedures for a general visual 
inspection of both engine's fire handles for an incorrect snap wire, 
and applicable corrective actions. Corrective actions include removing 
the incorrect snap wire, installing the correct snap wire, and 
installing the safety seal. This material 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

    These products have been approved by the aviation authority of 
another country and are approved for operation in the United States. 
Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design 
Authority, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in 
the MCAI described above. The FAA is issuing this AD after determining 
that the unsafe condition

[[Page 66157]]

described previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of 
these same type designs.

Requirements of This AD

    This AD requires accomplishing the actions specified in EASA AD 
2021-0237-E described previously, except for any differences identified 
as exceptions in the regulatory text of this AD.

Explanation of Required Compliance Information

    In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD 
process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation 
authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance 
with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been 
coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, 
EASA AD 2021-0237-E is incorporated by reference in this AD. This AD 
requires compliance with EASA AD 2021-0237-E in its entirety through 
that incorporation, except for any differences identified as exceptions 
in the regulatory text of this AD. Using common terms that are the same 
as the heading of a particular section in EASA AD 2021-0237-E does not 
mean that operators need comply only with that section. For example, 
where the AD requirement refers to ``all required actions and 
compliance times,'' compliance with this AD requirement is not limited 
to the section titled ``Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s)'' in 
EASA AD 2021-0237-E. Service information required by EASA AD 2021-0237-
E for compliance will be available at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-1008 after this AD is 
published.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

    Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 
U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and 
comment procedures for rules when the agency, for ``good cause,'' finds 
that those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to 
the public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good 
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking 
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA 
authorizes agencies to make rules effective in less than thirty days, 
upon a finding of good cause.
    An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of 
this AD without providing an opportunity for public comments prior to 
adoption. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public 
justifies foregoing notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule 
because if the installation of the incorrect snap wire material on the 
engine's fire handles is not detected and corrected, this condition, 
combined with an engine fire, could lead to a failure of the engine 
fire handle to operate, possibly resulting in an uncontrolled engine 
fire and reduced control of the airplane. In addition, the compliance 
time for the required action is shorter than the time necessary for the 
public to comment and for publication of the final rule. Accordingly, 
notice and opportunity for prior public comment are impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B).
    In addition, the FAA finds that good cause exists pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553(d) for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days, 
for the same reasons the FAA found good cause to forego notice and 
comment.

Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)

    The requirements of the RFA do not apply when an agency finds good 
cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt a rule without prior notice and 
comment. Because the FAA has determined that it has good cause to adopt 
this rule without notice and comment, RFA analysis is not required.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD affects 71 airplanes of U.S. 
registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                      Estimated Costs For Required Actions
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                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $85.............................              $0              $85           $6,035
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary on-
condition action that would be required based on the results of any 
required actions. The FAA has no way of determining the number of 
aircraft that might need this on-condition action:

                 Estimated Costs of On-Condition Actions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Cost per
            Labor cost                  Parts cost           product
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $85.  Negligible..........             $85
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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.
    The FAA is 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

[[Page 66158]]

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, and
    (2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

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:

2021-24-07 ATR--GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional: Amendment 
39-21828; Docket No. FAA-2021-1008; Project Identifier MCAI-2021-
01210-T.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective November 22, 
2021.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the ATR--GIE Avions de Transport 
R[eacute]gional airplanes specified in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of 
this AD, certificated in any category, as identified in European 
Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Emergency AD 2021-0237-E, dated 
November 4, 2021 (EASA AD 2021-0237-E).
    (1) Model ATR42-200, -300, -320, and -500 airplanes.
    (2) Model ATR72-101, -102, -201, -202, -211, -212, and -212A 
airplanes.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 26, Fire 
protection.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report of a certain procedure in the 
aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) that incorrectly described a 
visual inspection of the fire handle. The FAA is issuing this AD to 
address snap wires made of incorrect material, which, if not 
detected and corrected, and combined with an engine fire, could lead 
to a failure of the engine fire handle to operate, possibly 
resulting in an uncontrolled engine fire and reduced control of the 
airplane.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Requirements

    Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this AD: Comply with all 
required actions and compliance times specified in, and in 
accordance with, EASA AD 2021-0237-E.

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2021-0237-E

    (1) Where EASA AD 2021-0237-E refers to its effective date, this 
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) The ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 2021-0237-E does not 
apply to this AD.
    (3) For this AD, the safety seal installation only may be 
deferred up to 750 flight hours or 6 months, whichever occurs first, 
after the effective date of this AD, if the safety seal is not 
available at the time of the snap wire installation.

(i) No Reporting Requirement

    Although the service information referenced in EASA AD 2021-
0237-E specifies to submit certain information to the manufacturer, 
this AD does not include that requirement.

(j) Additional AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
Large Aircraft Section, International Validation Branch, 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 responsible Flight 
Standards Office, as appropriate. If sending information directly to 
the Large Aircraft Section, International Validation Branch, send it 
to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (k) of this 
AD. Information may be emailed to: [email protected]. 
Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal 
inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the 
responsible Flight Standards Office.
    (2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD 
to obtain instructions from a manufacturer, the instructions must be 
accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, Large Aircraft 
Section, International Validation Branch, FAA; or EASA; or ATR--GIE 
Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional's EASA Design Organization 
Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, the approval must include 
the DOA-authorized signature.

(k) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Shahram Daneshmandi, 
Aerospace Engineer, Large Aircraft Section, FAA, International 
Validation Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 
telephone and fax 206-231-3220; email [email protected].

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference 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) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Emergency AD 
2021-0237-E, dated November 4, 2021.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For EASA AD 2021-0237-E, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 
3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; email 
[email protected]; internet www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this 
EASA AD on the EASA website at https://ad.easa.europa.eu.
    (4) You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness 
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., 
Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material 
at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
    (5) You may view this material that is incorporated by reference 
at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at NARA, email 
[email protected], or go to: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued on November 12, 2021.
Gaetano A. Sciortino,
Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, Compliance & Airworthiness 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-25494 Filed 11-18-21; 11:15 am]
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