Airworthiness Directives; Air Tractor, Inc. AT-200, AT-300, AT-400, AT-500, AT-600, and AT-800 Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 106 (Monday, June 2, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 31351-31353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11944]



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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 106 / Monday, June 2, 2008 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 31351]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-0247; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-003-AD; 
Amendment 39-15540; AD 2008-11-17]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Air Tractor, Inc. AT-200, AT-300, AT-
400, AT-500, AT-600, and AT-800 Series Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to 
supersede AD 2002-25-09, which applies to certain Air Tractor, Inc. 
(Air Tractor) AT-250, AT-300, AT-400, and AT-500 series airplanes. AD 
2002-25-09 currently requires you to install an overturn skid plate in 
the cockpit area. Since we issued AD 2002-25-09, we received a report 
of the bolts attaching the forward end of the original design overturn 
skid plate to the airframe breaking in an overturn accident. This 
allowed the skid plate to rotate around the rear attach point and the 
forward end of the plate to enter the cockpit area. Consequently, this 
AD would require the installation of a modified skid plate kit or 
modification to skid plate kits that are already installed, including 
those already installed on AT-402B, AT-502B, AT-602, and AT-802A series 
airplanes during production. We are issuing this AD to prevent the 
front and rear connections of the overturn skid plate to the airplane 
from breaking, which could allow foreign debris to enter the cockpit 
during an airplane overturn. This condition, if not corrected, could 
lead to pilot injury.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on July 7, 2008.
    On July 7, 2008, the Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact Air 
Tractor Inc., P.O. Box 485, Olney, Texas 76374; telephone: (940) 564-
5616; fax: (940) 564-5612.
    To view the AD docket, go to U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov. The docket number is FAA-2008-0247; 
Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-003-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andy McAnaul, Aerospace Engineer, ASW-
150, FAA San Antonio MIDO-43, 10100 Reunion Place, Suite 650, San 
Antonio, Texas 78216, phone: (210) 308-3365, fax: (210) 308-3370.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On February 26, 2008, we issued a proposal to amend part 39 of the 
Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that 
would apply to certain Air Tractor, Inc. AT-200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 
and 800 series airplanes. This proposal was published in the Federal 
Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on March 3, 2008 (73 
FR 11369). The NPRM proposed to supersede AD 2002-25-09, which required 
the installation of an overturn skid plate (part number (P/N) 11411-1-
500 or an FAA-approved equivalent P/N) in some production models 
including Models AT-402B, AT-502B, AT-602, and AT-802A airplanes. Since 
we issued AD 2002-25-09, we received a report of the bolts breaking in 
an overturn accident where they attach the forward end of the original 
design overturn skid plate to the airframe. This allowed the skid plate 
to rotate around the rear attach point and the forward end of the plate 
to enter the cockpit area. We are issuing this AD to prevent the front 
and rear connections of the overturn skid plate to the airplane from 
breaking, which could allow foreign debris to enter the cockpit during 
an airplane overturn. This condition, if not corrected, could lead to 
pilot injury.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We received no comments on the proposal 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 
except for minor editorial corrections. We have determined that these 
minor corrections:
    <bullet> Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and
    <bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 2,026 airplanes in the U.S. 
registry.
    In determining the total cost on U.S. operators, we presume that 
all airplanes in the U.S. fleet have a skid plate installed (as 
required by AD 2002-25-09), and the only cost is to incorporate the 
modification kit P/N 11411-1-501. We estimate the following costs to do 
the modification of installing the overturn skid plate modification kit 
P/N 11411-1-501 to those planes that currently have the overturn skid 
plate installed:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Total cost  per   Total cost on
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        airplane      U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 work-hours x $80 per hour = $160...........................             $42             $202         $409,252
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 31352]]

    This AD includes a requirement for those few, if any, airplanes 
that have not operated past the compliance time of AD 2002-25-09.

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 AD.

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 the 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.
    We prepared a summary of the costs to comply with this AD (and 
other information as included in the Regulatory Evaluation) and placed 
it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by sending a 
request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket 
No. FAA-2008-0247; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-003-AD'' in your 
request.

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 Federal Aviation Administration 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) 
2002-25-09, Amendment 39-12985 (67 FR 78156, December 23, 2002), and 
adding the following new AD:

2008-11-17 Air Tractor, Inc.: Amendment 39-15540; Docket No. FAA-
2008-0247; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-003-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective on July 7, 2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2002-25-09, Amendment 39-12985.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the following airplane models and serial 
numbers that are certificated in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Models                            Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AT-250, AT-300, AT-301, AT-302, AT-    -0001 through -1196.
 400, AT-400A, AT-401, AT-401A, AT-
 402, AT-402A, and AT-402B.
AT-501, AT-502, AT-502A, and AT-502B.  -0001 through -2620.
AT-602...............................  -0337 through -1153.
AT-802A..............................  -0003 through -0282.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsafe Condition

    (d) Since we issued AD 2002-25-09, we received a report of the 
bolts that attach the forward end of the original design overturn 
skid plate to the airframe breaking in an overturn accident. This 
allowed the skid plate to rotate around the rear attach point and 
the forward end of the plate to enter the cockpit area. We are 
issuing this AD to prevent the front and rear connections of the 
overturn skid plate to the airplane from breaking, which could allow 
foreign debris to enter the cockpit during an airplane overturn. 
This condition, if not corrected, could lead to pilot injury.

Compliance

    (e) To address this problem, you must do the following, unless 
already done:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) If overturn skid plate    Within the next 180   Follow Snow
 kit part number (P/N) 11411-  days after July 7,    Engineering Co.
 1-500 or an FAA-approved      2008 (the effective   Service Letter
 equivalent P/N is already     date of this AD).     <greek-i>97,
 installed, then install P/N                         revised November 7,
 11411-1-501 modification                            2007.
 kit.
(2) If there is no overturn   Within the next 180   Follow Snow
 skid plate installed, then    days July 7, 2008     Engineering Co.
 install overturn skid plate   (the effective date   Service Letter
 kit P/N 11411-1-502 or an     of this AD).          <greek-i>97,
 FAA-approved equivalent                             revised November 7,
 part number.                                        2007.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Fort Worth Airplane Certification Office, FAA, 
has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using 
the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to ATTN: Andy 
McAnaul, Aerospace Engineer, ASW-150, FAA San Antonio MIDO-43, 10100 
Reunion Place, Suite 650, San Antonio, Texas 78216, phone: (210) 
308-3365; fax: (210) 308-3370. Before using any approved AMOC on any 
airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector (PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District Office 
(FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (g) You must use Snow Engineering Co. Service Letter 
<greek-i>97, revised November 7,

[[Page 31353]]

2007, to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies 
otherwise.
    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of this service information under 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact Air 
Tractor Inc., P.O. Box 485, Olney, Texas 76374; telephone: (940) 
564-5616; fax: (940) 564-5612.
    (3) You may review copies at the FAA, Central Region, Office of 
the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; or 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/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 20, 2008.
David R. Showers,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-11944 Filed 5-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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