Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier Model DHC-8-100, DHC-8-200, DHC-8-300, and DHC-8-400 Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 165 (Friday, August 25, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 50331-50333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13966]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24979; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-014-AD; 
Amendment 39-14738; AD 2006-17-17]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier Model DHC-8-100, DHC-8-200, 
DHC-8-300, and DHC-8-400 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-100, DHC-8-200, DHC-8-300, and DHC-8-400 
series airplanes. This AD requires inspecting the left and right 
control column torque tube assemblies to determine the type of rivets 
installed and replacing incorrect or indeterminate type rivets with the 
correct type rivets. This AD results from a report that incorrect 
rivets having lower than required strength were installed on the 
control column torque tube during production. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent shear failure of control column torque tube rivets, which could 
cause unexpected decoupling of the elevators and large unwanted 
deflection of the free elevator, and consequent reduced controllability 
of the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective September 29, 2006.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of September 29, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, 
Room PL-401, Washington, DC.
    Contact Bombardier, Inc., Bombardier Regional Aircraft Division, 
123 Garratt Boulevard, Downsview, Ontario M3K 1Y5, Canada, for service 
information identified in this AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Beckwith, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe and Propulsion Branch, ANE-171, FAA, New York Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1600 Stewart Avenue, suite 410, Westbury, New 
York 11590; telephone (516) 228-7302; fax (516) 794-5531.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the airworthiness directive (AD) docket on the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management 
Facility office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The Docket Management Facility office 
(telephone (800) 647-5227) is located on the plaza level of the Nassif 
Building at the street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to certain Bombardier 
Model DHC-8-100, DHC-8-200, DHC-8-300, and DHC-8-400 series airplanes. 
That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on June 8, 2006 (71 FR 
33270). That NPRM proposed to require inspecting the left and right 
control column torque tube assemblies to determine the type of rivets 
installed and replacing incorrect or indeterminate type rivets with the 
correct type rivets.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the 
determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

    The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators 
to comply with this AD.

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Number of U.S.-
            Action               Work    Average labor   Parts      Cost per       registered       Fleet cost
                                hours    rate per hour              airplane        airplanes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection for rivet type....        1             $80       $0             $80             162  $12,960.
Rivet replacement, if               16              80       50           1,330             162  A maximum of
 necessary.                                                                                       $215,460.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

    We have determined that 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); 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.

[[Page 50332]]

    We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket. See the ADDRESSES 
section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of the Amendment

0
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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2006-17-17 Bombardier, INC. (Formerly de Havilland, Inc.): Amendment 
39-14738. Docket No. FAA-2006-24979; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-
014-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective September 29, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the Bombardier airplanes identified in 
Table 1 of this AD, certified in any category.

                         Table 1.--Applicability
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Affected serial numbers (S/Ns)--
      Bombardier airplane model--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) DHC-8-102, DHC-8-103, DHC-8-106,     528 through 602 inclusive, and
 DHC-8-201, DHC-8-202, DHC-8-301, DHC-8-  606.
 311, DHC-8-314, and DHC-8-315
 airplanes.
(2) DHC-8-400, DHC-8-401, and DHC-8-402  4003, 4004, 4006, 4008 through
 airplanes.                               4080 inclusive, and 4082.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a report that incorrect rivets having 
lower than required strength were installed on the control column 
torque tube during production. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
shear failure of rivets in the control column torque tube, which 
could cause unexpected decoupling of the elevators and large 
unwanted deflection of the free elevator, and consequent reduced 
controllability of the airplane.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the 
actions have already been done.

Inspection and Replacement of Incorrect Rivets

    (f) At the applicable times specified in Table 2 of this AD: Do 
the applicable actions in accordance with the applicable service 
bulletin identified in Table 2 of this AD. If all rivets identified 
during the inspection specified in paragraph (f)(1)(i) or (f)(2)(i) 
of this AD, as applicable, are of the correct type (DD or DN 
rivets), no further action is required by this AD.


    Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, a general visual inspection 
is: ``A visual examination of an interior or exterior area, 
installation, or assembly to detect obvious damage, failure, or 
irregularity. This level of inspection is made from within touching 
distance unless otherwise specified. A mirror may be necessary to 
ensure visual access to all surfaces in the inspection area. This 
level of inspection is made under normally available lighting 
conditions such as daylight, hangar lighting, flashlight, or 
droplight and may require removal or opening of access panels or 
doors. Stands, ladders, or platforms may be required to gain 
proximity to the area being checked.''


                            Table 2.--Inspection and Replacement of Incorrect Rivets
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Model--                    Compliance time--             Action--           In accordance with--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Model DHC-8-102, DHC-8-103, DHC-8- (i) Within 5,500 flight  Do a general visual      Part A of the
 106, DHC-8-201, DHC-8-202, DHC-8-      hours after the          inspection of the left   Accomplishment
 301, DHC-8-311, DHC-8-314, and DHC-8-  effective date of this   and right control        Instructions of
 315 airplanes.                         AD.                      column torque tube       Bombardier Service
                                                                 assemblies to            Bulletin 8-27-104,
                                                                 determine the types of   dated October 26,
                                                                 rivets installed.        2004.
                                       (ii) Before further      Replace any rivet of an  Part B of the
                                        flight.                  incorrect type (AD       Accomplishment
                                                                 rivets) or of a type     Instructions of
                                                                 that cannot be           Bombardier Service
                                                                 determined with          Bulletin 8-27-104,
                                                                 correct type rivets      dated October 26,
                                                                 (DD or DN rivets).       2004.
(2) Model DHC-8-400, DHC-8-401, and    (i) Within 5,500 flight  Do a general visual      Part A of the
 DHC-8-402 airplanes.                   hours after the          inspection of the left   Accomplishment
                                        effective date of the    and right control        Instructions of
                                        AD.                      column torque tube       Bombardier Service
                                                                 assemblies to            Bulletin 84-27-24,
                                                                 determine the type of    Revision `A,' dated
                                                                 rivets installed.        September 28, 2005.
                                       (ii) Before further      Replace any rivet of an  Part B of the
                                        flight.                  incorrect type (AD       Accomplishment
                                                                 rivets) or of a type     Instructions of
                                                                 that cannot be           Bombardier Service
                                                                 determined with          Bulletin 84-27-24,
                                                                 correct type rivets      Revision `A,' dated
                                                                 (DD or DN rivets).       September 28, 2005.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Actions Accomplished According to Previous Issue of Service Bulletin

    (g) For Model DHC-8-400, DHC-8-401, and DHC-8-402 airplanes: 
Inspections and rivet replacements done before the effective date of 
this AD in accordance with Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-27-24, 
dated September 20, 2004, are considered acceptable for compliance 
with the corresponding actions specified in this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h)(1) The Manager, New York Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 
has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested in

[[Page 50333]]

accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) Before using any AMOC approved in accordance with Sec.  
39.19 on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify the 
appropriate principal inspector in the FAA Flight Standards 
Certificate Holding District Office.

Related Information

    (i) Canadian airworthiness directive CF-2005-39, dated November 
21, 2005, also addresses the subject of this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (j) You must use Bombardier Service Bulletin 8-27-104, dated 
October 26, 2004; or Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-27-24, Revision 
`A,' dated September 28, 2005; as applicable, to perform the actions 
that are required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The 
Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of these documents in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 
1 CFR part 51. Contact Bombardier, Inc., Bombardier Regional 
Aircraft Division, 123 Garratt Boulevard, Downsview, Ontario M3K 
1Y5, Canada, for a copy of this service information. You may review 
copies at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Room PL-401, Nassif 
Building, Washington, DC; on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or 
at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at the NARA, call 
(202) 741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 16, 2006.
Kalene C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-13966 Filed 8-24-06; 8:45 am]
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