Airworthiness Directives; Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. and Continental Motors Reciprocating Engines

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9435-9437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03640]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0875; Project Identifier AD-2021-00675-E; 
Amendment 39-21945; AD 2022-04-04]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Continental Aerospace Technologies, 
Inc. and Continental Motors Reciprocating Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. C-125, C145, IO-360, 
IO-470, IO-550, O-300, O-470, TSIO-360, TSIO-520 series model 
reciprocating engines and certain Continental Motors IO-520 series 
model reciprocating engines with a certain oil filter adapter 
installed. This AD was prompted by reports of two accidents that were 
the result of power loss due to oil starvation. This AD requires 
replacing the oil filter adapter fiber gasket (fiber gasket) with an 
oil filter adapter copper gasket (copper gasket). The FAA is issuing 
this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective March 29, 2022.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of March 29, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact Stratus Tool Technologies, LLC, 2208 Air Park Drive, 
Burlington, NC 27215; phone: (800) 822-3200; website: https://www.tempestplus.com. You may view this service information at the FAA, 
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200 
District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110. It is 
also available at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and 
locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0875.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0875; 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 final rule, any 
comments received, and other information. The address for Docket 
Operations is 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: George Hanlin, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Atlanta ACO, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 
30337; phone: (404) 474-5584; fax: (404) 474-5605; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain Continental 
Aerospace Technologies, Inc. (Type Certificate previously held by 
Continental Motors, Inc., and Teledyne Continental Motors) C-125-1, C-
125-2, C145-2, C145-2H, IO-360-C, IO-360-D, IO-360-DB, IO-360-H, IO-
360-HB, IO-360-K, IO-360-KB, IO-470-E, IO-470-S, IO-550-B, IO-550-G, O-
300-B, O-300-C, O-300-D, O-300-E, O-470-A, O-470-B, O-470-G, O-470-J, 
O-470-K, O-470-L, O-470-M, O-470-N, O-470-R, O-470-S, O-470-U, O-470-
11, O-470-15, TSIO-360-E, TSIO-360-EB, TSIO-360-F, TSIO-360-FB, TSIO-
360-GB, TSIO-360-LB, TSIO-360-MB, TSIO-360-SB, TSIO-520-C, TSIO-520-CE, 
TSIO-520-E, TSIO-520-UB model reciprocating engines; and Continental 
Motors (Type Certificate previously held by Teledyne Continental 
Motors) IO-520-A, IO-520-B, IO-520-BA, IO-520-BB, IO-520-C, IO-520-D, 
IO-520-J, and IO-520-L model reciprocating engines. The NPRM published 
in the Federal Register on October 12, 2021 (86 FR 56658). The NPRM was 
prompted by reports of two accidents that were the result of power loss 
due to oil starvation. The first was a fatal accident on May 1, 2019, 
in Mill Creek California, involving a Cessna 182P airplane with an 
installed Continental Motors O-470-S engine. The National 
Transportation Safety Board's preliminary accident investigation 
report, docket number WPR19FA126, identified evidence of improperly 
maintained or installed oil filter adapters. An improperly maintained 
or installed oil filter adapter may lead to failure of the fiber 
gasket, which may result in oil loss or oil starvation. Based on the 
investigation, the manufacturer determined the need to replace the 
fiber gasket with a copper gasket. In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to 
require removal of the fiber gasket and replacement with a copper 
gasket.

[[Page 9436]]

The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these 
products.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

    The FAA received comments from two individual commenters. The 
following presents the comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's 
response to each comment.

Request To Broaden the Scope

    One commenter compared the NPRM to a previous AD that the FAA 
issued in 1996, AD 96-12-22 (61 FR 30501, June 17, 1996), to address 
loose or separated oil filter adapters. The commenter requested that 
the FAA consider issuing an AD with a broader scope, such as a remote-
mounted oil filter secured to the firewall, as a more permanent 
solution. The commenter reasoned that a remote-mounted filter would 
reduce the potential for accidents caused by oil starvation and power 
loss.
    The FAA issued AD 96-12-22 to address an unsafe condition caused by 
adapter-to-oil pump threads fragmenting, resulting in loose or 
separated oil filter adapters. Like AD 96-12-22, a remote-mounted oil 
filter secured to the firewall is not needed to correct the unsafe 
condition prompting this AD, which is power loss due to oil starvation. 
The unsafe condition that prompted this AD was caused by failure of the 
fiber gasket due to improperly maintained or installed oil filter 
adapters. Therefore, this AD requires replacing the fiber gasket with a 
copper gasket.

Suggestion To Design a Better Gasket

    One commenter requested that the FAA make the manufacturer design a 
better gasket, installed with a torque commensurate with the torqued 
material, such as fiber gasket material similar to the gaskets used in 
propeller governors. The commenter stated that the gaskets used in 
propeller governors are manufactured with an oil-resistant outer layer, 
a stainless steel mesh center layer, and an oil-resistant inner layer. 
The commenter reasoned that these gaskets would cover the entire 
sealing faces of the oil filter adapter and the oil pump, unlike the 
copper gasket, which uses only a portion of the sealing area.
    The FAA does not agree that using fiber gasket material similar to 
the gaskets used in propeller governors is necessary to address the 
unsafe condition, which is power loss due to oil starvation. The unsafe 
condition that prompted this AD was caused by failure of the fiber 
gasket due to improperly maintained or installed oil filter adapters, 
not the amount of torque applied to a specific gasket material. 
Additionally, as part of the certification process, the manufacturer 
has analyzed and tested the copper gasket and found it meets the design 
intent.

Conclusion

    The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered any comments 
received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as 
proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe 
condition on these products. This AD is adopted as proposed in the 
NPRM.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Stratus Tool Technologies Mandatory Service 
Bulletin (MSB) SB-001 Rev B, dated June 17, 2021. This MSB specifies 
procedures for removing a fiber gasket and replacing it with a copper 
gasket. 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 ADDRESSES.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD affects 6,300 engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry.
    The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
                Action                         Labor cost           Parts cost        product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace fiber gasket with copper        2.5 work-hours x $85 per             $34         $246.50      $1,552,950
 gasket.                                 hour = $212.50.
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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 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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) 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.

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:

2022-04-04 Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. and Continental

[[Page 9437]]

Motors: Amendment 39-21945; Docket No. FAA-2021-0875; Project 
Identifier AD-2021-00675-E.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective March 29, 2022.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the reciprocating engine models identified in 
paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this AD with an F&M Enterprises, Inc. 
(F&M) or Stratus Tool Technologies, LLC (Stratus) oil filter adapter 
installed per Supplemental Type Certificate SE8409SW, SE09356SC, or 
SE10348SC.
    (1) Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. (Type Certificate 
previously held by Continental Motors, Inc., and Teledyne 
Continental Motors) C-125-1, C-125-2, C145-2, C145-2H, IO-360-C, IO-
360-D, IO-360-DB, IO-360-H, IO-360-HB, IO-360-K, IO-360-KB, IO-470-
E, IO-470-S, IO-550-B, IO-550-G, O-300-B, O-300-C, O-300-D, O-300-E, 
O-470-A, O-470-B, O-470-G, O-470-J, O-470-K, O-470-L, O-470-M, O-
470-N, O-470-R, O-470-S, O-470-U, O-470-11, O-470-15, TSIO-360-E, 
TSIO-360-EB, TSIO-360-F, TSIO-360-FB, TSIO-360-GB, TSIO-360-LB, 
TSIO-360-MB, TSIO-360-SB, TSIO-520-C, TSIO-520-CE, TSIO-520-E, and 
TSIO-520-UB model reciprocating engines; and
    (2) Continental Motors (Type Certificate previously held by 
Teledyne Continental Motors) IO-520-A, IO-520-B, IO-520-BA, IO-520-
BB, IO-520-C, IO-520-D, IO-520-J, and IO-520-L model reciprocating 
engines.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 8550, Reciprocating 
Engine Oil System.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of two accidents that were the 
result of power loss due to oil starvation. The FAA is issuing this 
AD to prevent loss of engine power. The unsafe condition, if not 
addressed, could result in failure of the engine, in-flight 
shutdown, and loss of control of the aircraft.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    Before accumulating 50 flight hours after the effective date of 
this AD or at the next scheduled oil change after the effective date 
of this AD, whichever occurs first, remove any F&M or Stratus oil 
filter adapter fiber gasket from service and replace it with a 
Stratus AN900-28 or AN900-29 oil filter adapter copper gasket in 
accordance with the Compliance Instructions, paragraph 6., pages 7 
through 10 (including all detailed instructions for Figure 5 through 
Figure 16), of Stratus Tool Technologies Mandatory Service Bulletin 
SB-001 Rev B, dated June 17, 2021.

(h) Installation Prohibition

    After the effective date of this AD, do not install or reuse an 
F&M or Stratus oil filter adapter fiber gasket in any F&M or Stratus 
Tool Technologies oil filter adapter.

(i) Special Flight Permit

    A special flight permit may be issued in accordance with 14 CFR 
21.197 and 21.199 to permit a one-time non-revenue ferry flight to 
operate the airplane to a location where the maintenance action can 
be performed.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Atlanta ACO 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 local Flight Standards District 
Office, as appropriate. If sending information directly to the 
manager of the certification office, 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 George Hanlin, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, Atlanta ACO, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, 
College Park, GA 30337; phone: (404) 474-5584; fax: (404) 474-5605; 
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 the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Stratus Tool Technologies Mandatory Service Bulletin SB-001 
Rev B, dated June 17, 2021.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For Stratus Tool Technologies, LLC service information 
identified in this AD, contact Stratus Tool Technologies, LLC, 2208 
Air Park Drive, Burlington, NC 27215; phone: (800) 822-3200; 
website: https://www.tempestplus.com.
    (4) You may view this service information at FAA, Airworthiness 
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200 District Avenue, 
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
    (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, email: [email protected], or go to: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued on February 4, 2022.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-03640 Filed 2-18-22; 8:45 am]
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