FR Doc 04-18923

[Federal Register: August 20, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 161)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 51549-51552]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20au04-2]

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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2004-CE-04-AD; Amendment 39-13774; AD 2004-17-02]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon Aircraft Company 65, 90, 99,
100, 200, 300, and 1900 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain
Raytheon Aircraft Company (Raytheon) 65, 90, 99, 100, 200, 300, and
1900 series airplanes. This AD requires you to repetitively inspect the
engine controls/cross shaft/pedestal for proper installation and
torque, re-torque the cross shaft attach bolt, modify the pedestal, and
replace the engine controls cross shaft hardware. Modification of the
pedestal and replacement of the engine controls cross shaft hardware is
terminating action for the repetitive inspection requirements. This AD
is the result of numerous reports of loose bolts on the pedestal
attachment of the throttle/prop cross shaft assembly. We are issuing
this AD to detect and correct loose bolts not securing the pedestal
cross shaft, which could result in limited effectiveness of the control
levers. This failure could lead to an aborted takeoff.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on October 4, 2004.
As of October 4, 2004, the Director of the Federal Register
approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed
in the regulation.

ADDRESSES: You may get the service information identified in this AD
from Raytheon Aircraft Company, 9709 E. Central, Wichita, Kansas 67201-
0085; telephone: (800) 429-5372 or (316) 676-3140.
You may view the AD docket at FAA, Central Region, Office of the
Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 2004-CE-04-AD, 901
Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Office hours are 8 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Pretz, Aerospace Engineer,
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Wichita,
Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4153; facsimile: (316) 946-4407.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

What events have caused this AD? The FAA has received numerous
reports of loose bolts not securing the pedestal cross shaft on
Raytheon Models B300, C90A, and 1900 series airplanes. Investigation
revealed that the bolt securing the pedestal cross shaft can loosen in
time and fall out. When the bolt backs out, the cross shaft will flex
with throttle or propeller control application. This flexing of the
cross shaft limits the effectiveness of the control levers and the
operation of the landing gear warning, prop reverse not ready,
autofeather, and ground idle micro switches (on models with switches at
this location).
The 65, 90, 99, 100, 200, 300, and 1900 Series airplanes all have a
similar type design in the area affected by this AD.
What is the potential impact if FAA took no action? This failure
could limit the effectiveness of the engine control levers and result
in an aborted takeoff due to failure to make takeoff power.
Has FAA taken any action to this point? 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 Raytheon 65, 90, 99, 100,
200, 300, and 1900 series airplanes. This proposal was published in the
Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on April 26,
2004 (69 FR 22392). The NPRM proposed to require you to repetitively
inspect the engine controls/cross shaft/pedestal for proper
installation and torque, re-torque the cross shaft attach bolt, modify
the pedestal, and replace the engine controls cross shaft hardware.

Comments

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

Comment Issue: The AD Is Not Needed

What is the commenter's concern? The commenter is responsible for a
large fleet (Models 99, 200, and 1900) of 62 airplanes that are
affected by this AD. The fleet has accumulated more than 450,000 flight
hours. The commenter states that the company has never experienced the
problem in the fleet, and that regular inspection in the subject area
and check of the subject bolts for tightness eliminates the problem.
Therefore, the AD is not necessary.
What is FAA's response to the concern? The FAA disagrees with the
commenter's statement that, since the company has not experienced the
problem in the fleet, that an AD is not necessary. The AD action was
prompted by several reports of loose bolts not securing the pedestal
cross shaft on Raytheon Models B300, C90A, and 1900 series airplanes.
After issuance of a manufacturer's safety notice, FAA received more
reports of loose bolts. Our decision to issue an AD action is based on
reports from the field, the likelihood that the condition is likely to
exist or develop on other products of this same type design, and the
potential impact to

[[Page 51550]]

an aircraft with the subject condition if no action was taken.
Therefore, to ensure that all affected airplanes do not have the
unsafe condition, we are not changing the final rule AD action based on
this comment.

Conclusion

What is FAA's final determination on this issue? 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:

--Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the NPRM for
correcting the unsafe condition; and
--Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already
proposed in the NPRM.

Changes to 14 CFR Part 39--Effect on the AD

How does the revision to 14 CFR part 39 affect this AD? On July 10,
2002, the FAA published a new version of 14 CFR part 39 (67 FR 47997,
July 22, 2002), which governs the FAA's AD system. This regulation now
includes material that relates to altered products, special flight
permits, and alternative methods of compliance. This material
previously was included in each individual AD. Since this material is
included in 14 CFR part 39, we will not include it in future AD
actions.

Costs of Compliance

How many airplanes does this AD impact? We estimate that this AD
affects 5,025 airplanes in the U.S. registry.
What is the cost impact of this AD on owners/operators of the
affected airplanes? We estimate the following costs to do the
inspection and re-torque of the cross attach bolt:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total cost per
Labor cost Parts cost airplane Total cost on U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 workhour x $65 per hour = $65... Not Applicable....... $65 $65 x 5,025 = $326,625
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We estimate the following costs to do the modification of the
pedestal and replacement of the engine controls cross shaft hardware:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total cost per
Labor cost Parts cost airplane Total cost on U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 workhours x $65 per hour = $130... $10 $140 $140 x 5,025 = $703,500.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regulatory Findings

Will this AD impact various entities? 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.
Will this AD involve a significant rule or regulatory action? 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
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
``AD Docket No. 2004-CE-04-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:

2004-17-02 Raytheon Aircraft Company: Amendment 39-13774; Docket No.
2004-CE-04-AD.

When Does This AD Become Effective?

(a) This AD becomes effective on October 4, 2004.

What Other ADs Are Affected by This Action?

(b) None.

What Airplanes Are Affected by This AD?

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Model Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) 65-A90, B90, C90, and C90A......... LJ-76, LJ-114 through LJ-1691.
(2) E90................................ LW-1 through LW-347.
(3) F90................................ LA-2 through LA-236.
(4) 99, 99A, A99A, B99 and C99......... U-1 through U-239.
(5) 100 and A100....................... B-1 through B-94, B-100 through
B-204, and B-206 through B-
247.
(6) B100............................... BE-1 through BE-137.

[[Page 51551]]

(7) 200 and B200....................... BB-2, BB-6 through BB-185, BB-
187 through BB-202, BB-204
through BB-269, BB-271 through
BB-407, BB-409 through BB-468,
BB-470 through BB-488, BB-490
through BB-509, BB-511 through
BB-529, BB-531 through BB-550,
BB-552 through BB-562, BB-564
through BB-572, BB-574 through
BB-590, BB-592 through BB-608,
BB-610 through BB-626, BB-628
through BB-646, BB-648 through
BB-664, BB-666 through BB-694,
BB-696 through BB-797, BB-799
through BB-822, BB-824 through
BB-870, BB-872 through BB-
894,BB-896 through BB-990, BB-
992 through BB-1051, BB-1053
through BB-1092, BB-1094, BB-
1095, BB-1099 through BB-1104,
BB-1106 through BB-1116, BB-
1118 through BB-1184, BB-1186
through BB-1263, BB-1265
through BB-1288, BB-1290
through BB-1300, BB-1302
through BB-1313, BB-1315
through BB-1384, BB-1389
through BB-1425, BB-1427
through BB-1447, BB-1449, BB-
1450, BB-1452, BB-1453, BB-
1455, BB-1456, BB-1458 through
BB-1683, BB-1685 through BB-
1716, BB-1718 through BB-1720,
BB-1722, BB-1723, BB-1725, BB-
1726, BB-1728 through BB-1826.
(8) 200C and B200C..................... BL-1 through BL-23, BL-25
through BL-57, BL-61 through
BL-72, and BL-124 through BL-
147.
(9) 200CT and B200CT................... BN-1 through BN-4.
(10) 200T and B200T.................... BT-1 through BT-38, and BB-
1314.
(11) 300 and 300LW..................... FA-1 through FA-230; and FF-1
through FF-19.
(12) B300.............................. FL-1 through FL-379.
(13) B300C............................. FM-1 through FM-10; and FN-1.
(14) 1900.............................. UA-3.
(15) 1900C............................. UB-1 through UB-74 and UC-1
through UC-174.
(16) 1900D............................. UE-1 through UE-439.
(17) 65-A90-1 (U-21A or U-21G)......... LM-1 through LM-141.
(18) 65-A90-2 (RU-21B)................. LS-1 through LS-3.
(19) 65-A90-3 (U-21 Series)............ LT-1 and LT-2.
(20) 65-A90-4 (U-21 Series)............ LU-1 through LU-16.
(21) H90 (T-44A)....................... LL-1 through LL-61.
(22) A100-1 (U-21J).................... BB-3 through BB-5.
(23) A100 (U-21F)...................... B-95 through B-99.
(24) A200 (C-12A and C-12C)............ BC-1 through BC-75 and BD-1
through BD-30.
(25) A200C (UC-12B).................... BJ-1 through BJ-66.
(26) A200CT (C-12D, FWC-12D, C-12F).... BP-1, BP-7 through BP-11, BP-
19, BP-22, and BP-24 through
BP-63.
(27) A200CT (RC-12D, RC-12H)........... GR-1 through GR-12, and GR-14
through GR-19.
(28) A200CT (RC-12G)................... FC-1 through FC-3.
(29) A200CT (RC-12K, RC-12P and RC-12Q) FE-1 through FE-9, and FE-25
through FE-36.
(30) B200C (C-12F)..................... BL-73 through BL-112, and BL-
118 through BL-123; BP-64
through BP-71.
(31) B200C (C-12R)..................... BW-1 through BW-29.
(32) B200C (UC-12M).................... BV-1 through BV-10.
(33) B200C (UC-12F).................... BU-1 through BU-10.
(34) 1900C (C-12J)..................... UD-1 through UD-6.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

What Is the Unsafe Condition Presented in This AD?

(d) This AD is the result of numerous reports of loose bolts on
the pedestal attachment of the throttle/prop cross shaft assembly.
The actions specified in this AD are intended to detect and correct
loose bolts not securing the pedestal cross shaft, which could
result in limited effectiveness of the control levers. This failure
could lead to an aborted takeoff.

What Must I Do To Address This Problem?

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actions Compliance Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Inspection and torque:......
(i) inspect the engine
controls/cross shaft/
pedestal for proper
installation and torque;
and.
(ii) re-torque the cross Initially inspect Follow Part I,
attach bolt.. within the next Accomplishment
50 hours time-in- Instructions of
service (TIS) Raytheon Aircraft
after October 4, Company Mandatory
2004 (the Service Bulletin
effective date of No. SB 73-3634,
this AD), unless dated September
already done 2003. The
within the last applicable
50 hours TIS, and airplane
thereafter at maintenance
intervals not to manual also
exceed 100 hours addresses this
TIS until the issue.
modification in
paragraph (e)(3)
of this AD is
done.

[[Page 51552]]

(2) If any improper installation Before further Follow Part I,
or wrong torque is found during flight after the Accomplishment
any inspection required by inspection in Instructions of
paragraph (e)(1) of this AD, which any Raytheon Aircraft
correct the installation or improper Company Mandatory
torque. installation or Service Bulletin
wrong torque is No. SB 73-3634,
found. dated September
2003. The
applicable
airplane
maintenance
manual also
addresses this
issue.
(3) Modify the pedestal and At the next Follow Part II,
replace the engine controls scheduled Accomplishment
cross shaft hardware. maintenance/ Instructions of
Modification of the pedestal inspection Raytheon Aircraft
and replacement of the engine interval or 12 Company Mandatory
controls cross shaft hardware calendar months Service Bulletin
is the terminating action for after October 4, No. SB 73-3634,
the repetitive inspection and 2004 (the dated September
re-torque requirements effective date of 2003. The
specified in paragraph (e)(1) this AD), applicable
of this AD. whichever occurs airplane
later. You may do maintenance
this modification manual also
before this time addresses this
as terminating issue.
action for the
repetitive
inspection and re-
torque
requirements.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

May I Request an Alternative Method of Compliance?

(f) You may request a different method of compliance or a
different compliance time for this AD by following the procedures in
14 CFR 39.19. Unless FAA authorizes otherwise, send your request to
your principal inspector. The principal inspector may add comments
and will send your request to the Manager, Wichita Aircraft
Certification Office (ACO), FAA. For information on any already
approved alternative methods of compliance, contact Jeff Pretz,
Aerospace Engineer, Wichita ACO, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Mid-
Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4153;
facsimile: (316) 946-4107.

Does This AD Incorporate Any Material by Reference?

(g) You must do the actions required by this AD following the
instructions in Raytheon Aircraft Company Mandatory Service Bulletin
No. SB 73-3634, dated September, 2003. The Director of the Federal
Register approved the incorporation by reference of this service
bulletin in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. You
may get a copy from Raytheon Aircraft Company, 9709 E. Central,
Wichita, Kansas 67201-0085; telephone: (800) 429-5372 or (316) 676-
3140. You may review copies at FAA, Central Region, Office of the
Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Room 506, 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 August 12, 2004.
John R. Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-18923 Filed 8-19-04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-P