[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 33 (Thursday, February 17, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3575]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 17, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 93-CE-61-AD]
Airworthiness Directives: Piper Aircraft Corporation PA24, PA28R,
PA30, PA32R, PA32RT, PA34-200, PA34-200T, PA39, and PA44 Series
Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM).
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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently became
aware of an incident in England where the left main landing gear (MLG)
collapsed on a Piper Aircraft Corporation (Piper) Model PA34-200T
airplane because of swivel pin failure. At that time, the FAA found no
service difficulty reports on airplanes of this type design that are
certificated for operation in the United States. The FAA has since
reviewed service difficulty reports of all Piper airplanes that have
retractable MLG with the swivel pin configuration (certain PA24, PA28R,
PA30, PA32R, PA32RT, PA34-200, PA34-200T, PA39, and PA44 series
airplanes), and found two incidents of cracked swivel pins. The purpose
of this advance notice is to seek comments from interested persons
regarding the best action (if any) to take in order to correct any
possible problems with retractable MLG swivel pins. All comments and
ideas will be evaluated by the FAA and the FAA will research the
situation to decide whether rulemaking is needed.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 10, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the FAA, Central Region,
Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 93-
CE-61-AD, room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Comments may be inspected at this location between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Marsh, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, 1669 Phoenix Parkway, suite
210C, Atlanta, Georgia 30349; telephone (404) 991-2910; facsimile (404)
991-3606.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the
proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as
they may desire. Communications should identify the Rules Docket number
and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All
communications received on or before the closing date for comments,
specified above, will be considered before taking action on the
proposed rule. The proposals contained in this notice may be changed in
light of the comments received.
Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All
comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing
date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested
persons. A report that summarizes each FAA-public contact concerned
with the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
submitted in response to this notice must submit a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to Docket No. 93-CE-61-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and
returned to the commenter.
Availability of NPRMs
Any person may obtain a copy of this ANPRM by submitting a request
to the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 93-CE-61-AD, room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
The FAA is currently investigating a possible unsafe condition on
Piper PA24, PA28R, PA30, PA32R, PA32RT, PA34-200, PA34-200T, PA39, and
PA44 series airplanes that have retractable main landing gear (MLG)
with a swivel pin configuration.
The MLG collapsed on a Piper Model PA34-200T airplane that is
certificated for operation in England because of MLG swivel pin
failure. At that time, the FAA found no service difficulty reports of
this type on airplanes of this type design that are certificated for
operation in the United States. The FAA has since reviewed service
difficulty reports of all Piper airplanes that have retractable MLG
with the swivel pin configuration (certain PA24, PA28R, PA30, PA32R,
PA32RT, PA34-200, PA34-200T, PA39, and PA44 series airplanes), and
found two incidents of swivel pin failure.
Discussions with operators that utilize these type airplanes under
14 CFR part 135 reveal that regular maintenance inspections require
inspections in this area every 200 hours time-in-service (TIS), and
that there have been no problems with the retractable MLG swivel pins.
The inspection procedures in Piper's maintenance manual of the
referenced airplanes calls for inspecting the MLG assembly every 100
hours TIS. The inspection procedures do not specifically address a
teardown inspection of this assembly. At this time, the FAA has
determined that there is no basis to establish a threshold or
repetitive teardown inspection interval of this assembly based on the
information obtained.
In order to adequately make a determination as to what type of
action to take (if any), the FAA is issuing this advance notice of
proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) to provide an opportunity for the general
public to participate in the decision whether to initiate rulemaking.
Interested persons are encouraged to provide information that describes
what they consider the best action (if any) to be taken to correct the
possible problem. In this regard, the FAA is especially interested in
comments and viewpoints on the following:
1. How often do you have the retractable MLG swivel pins inspected
and in what detail, i.e., visual, dye penetrant, etc.?
2. Does the checklist in the procedures you utilize during the MLG
swivel pin inspections include removal of the swivel pins?
3. Have you ever replaced the swivel pin?
a. If so, please list the hours TIS replaced and the reason why for
each instance?
b. If not, how many hours TIS have you accumulated on your
airplane?
4. Do you feel that the current inspection requirements are
adequate, i.e., 14 CFR part 43, your checklist, Piper's maintenance
manual, etc.? Please list any specific recommendations that you may
have concerning current or future inspection requirements.
5. Please include the model and serial number of your airplane, and
the part number of the retractable MLG swivel pin with this
correspondence.
6. Please provide any other information that you feel is pertinent
in helping the FAA determine what type of action (if any) needs to be
taken. The following figure (Figure 1) depicts the retractable MLG
assembly, including the swivel pin.
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
TP17FE94.002
BILLING CODE 4910-13-C
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 11, 1994.
Mickael K. Dahl,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 94-3575 Filed 2-16-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U