Airworthiness Directives; Cessna Aircraft Company 172, 182, and 206 Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 4, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11536-11538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3771]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-28433; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-052-AD; 
Amendment 39-15403; AD 2008-05-09]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Cessna Aircraft Company 172, 182, and 
206 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 
Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) 172, 182, and 206 series airplanes. 
This AD requires you to remove the crew seats, modify the seat base/
back attach brackets, and reinstall the seats of the affected 
airplanes. This AD results from reports of the seat base/back attach 
bracket failing where it is welded to the seat base. We are issuing 
this AD to prevent failure of the seat base/back attach brackets, which 
could result in the seats collapsing backwards during flight with 
consequent loss of control.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on April 8, 2008.
    On April 8, 2008, the Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD.

ADDRESSES: To get the service information identified in this AD, 
contact Cessna Aircraft Company, Product Support, P.O. Box 7706, 
Wichita, Kansas 67277; telephone: (316) 517-5800; fax: (316) 942-9006.
    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-2007-28433; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-052-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Park, Aerospace Engineer, 1801 
Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-
4123; fax: (316) 946-4107.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On July 12, 2007, 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 Cessna Models 172, 182, and 206 airplanes. This 
proposal was published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) on July 19, 2007 (72 FR 39584). The NPRM proposed to 
remove the crew seats, modify the seat base/back attach brackets, and 
reinstall the seats of the affected airplanes and seats 3 and 4 on 206 
series airplanes.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comments received on the proposal 
and FAA's response to each comment:

Comment Issue No. 1: Number of Affected Airplanes

    Jack Buster with the Modification and Replacement Part Association 
(MARPA) noted that the airworthiness concern sheet stated the proposed 
AD action affected 2,770 airplanes and the actual proposed AD stated 
the action affected 1,556 airplanes. He requests we clarify the number 
of the affected airplanes.
    The FAA agrees that the numbers in the airworthiness concern sheet 
and the proposed AD differ. There are 2,770 airplanes worldwide but 
only 1,556 airplanes on the U.S. Registry. In the Cost of Compliance 
section of the AD preamble we state how many airplanes are listed on 
the U.S. Registry.
    We will not change the final rule AD action as a result of this 
comment.

Comment Issue No. 2: Availability of Incorporated by Reference (IBR) 
Documents in the Docket Management System (DMS)

    Jack Buster of MARPA requests IBR documents be available to the 
public by publication in the DMS.
    The FAA has transitioned from the DMS to the government-wide 
Federal Docket Management System (FDMS). We are currently reviewing 
issues surrounding the posting of service bulletins in the FDMS as part 
of the AD docket. Once we have thoroughly examined all aspects of this 
issue and have made a final determination, we will consider whether our 
current practice needs to be revised.

Comment Issue No. 3: Exempting Non-crew Seats From This AD Action

    The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association requests that the FAA 
exempt non-crew seats from the AD action. Modification of the third and 
fourth seats on the Cessna Model 206 is estimated at just under $1,000 
per aircraft and does not directly address the safety of flight issue 
proposed for this AD. The third and fourth seats are not crew seats and 
pose little to no risk that a seat collapse could cause the pilot to 
lose control of the airplane.
    The FAA agrees that the modification of the third and fourth seats 
on the Cessna 206 does not directly address the safety of flight issue 
proposed for this AD.
    We will change the final rule AD action as a result of this comment 
and not include seats 3 and 4 on 206 series airplanes.

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:

[[Page 11537]]

    <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 1,556 airplanes in the U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to do the modification:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            Total cost per    Total cost on U.S.
                Labor cost                           Parts cost                airplane            operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 work-hours x $80 per hour = $400 (for     $800 (for two crew seats)...             $1,200          $1,867,200
 two crew seats).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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-2007-28433; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-052-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. FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding a new AD to read as follows:

2008-05-09 Cessna Aircraft Company: Amendment 39-15403; Docket No. 
FAA-2007-28433; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-052-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective on April 8, 2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Models                            Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) 172R...................  17281211 through 17281356.
(2) 172S...................  172S9621 through 172S10310, 172S10312
                              through 172S10324, 172S10327 through
                              172S10332, 172S10334 through 172S10349,
                              172S10351 through 172S10374, 172S10376
                              through 172S10386, 172S10388 through
                              172S10408, 172S10410 through 172S10412,
                              172S10414 through 172S10417, and 172S10421
                              through 172S10423.
(3) 182T...................  18281328 through 18281867, 18281869 through
                              18281871, 18281873 through 18281875, and
                              18281877.
(4) T182T..................  T18208240 through T18208651, T18208654,
                              T18208656 through T18208659, T18208663,
                              T18208664, and T18208667 through
                              T18208668.
(5) 206H...................  20608216 through 20608283.
(6) T206H..................  T20608445 through T20608662, T20608664
                              through T20608671, T20608673, T20608674,
                              T20608676 through T20608681, T20608683
                              through T20608689, T20608691, T20608692,
                              T20608694 through T20608696, T20608699
                              through T20608701, T20608703, and
                              T20608704.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of the seat base/back attach 
bracket failing where it is welded to the seat base. We are issuing 
this AD to prevent failure of the seat base/back attach brackets, 
which could result in the seats collapsing backwards during flight 
with consequent loss of control.

Compliance

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

[[Page 11538]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remove, modify, and           Within the next 50    Follow Cessna
 reinstall the crew seats.     hours time-in-        Aircraft Company
                               service after April   Single Engine
                               8, 2008 (the          Modification Kit
                               effective date of     No. MK206-25-10,
                               this AD) or within    dated April 23,
                               the next 6 months     2007, as specified
                               after April 8, 2008   in Cessna Aircraft
                               (the effective date   Company Service
                               of this AD),          Bulletin SB07-25-
                               whichever occurs      04, dated April 23,
                               first.                2007.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Wichita Aircraft 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: Gary 
Park, Aerospace Engineer, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, 
Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4123; fax: (316) 946-4107. 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.

Related Information

    (g) To get copies of the service information referenced in this 
AD, contact Cessna Aircraft Company, Product Support, P.O. Box 7706, 
Wichita, Kansas 67277; telephone: (316) 517-5800; fax: (316) 942-
9006. 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://dms.dot.gov. The docket number is Docket 
No. FAA-2007-28433; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-052-AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (h) You must use Cessna Aircraft Company Single Engine 
Modification Kit No. MK206-25-10, dated April 23, 2007, as specified 
in Cessna Aircraft Company Service Bulletin SB07-25-04, dated April 
23, 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 
Cessna Aircraft Company, Product Support, P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, 
Kansas 67277; telephone: (316) 517-5800; fax: (316) 942-9006.
    (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 February 22, 2008.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-3771 Filed 3-3-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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