AD 99-24-12

This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Lockheed Model L-1011-385 series airplanes, that currently requires revision of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to prohibit operation of the fuel boost pumps when fuel quantities are below certain levels, and to add maintenance procedures for operating the airplane under certain conditions. That AD also requires the installation of a placard on the engineer s fuel panel to advise the maintenance crew that operation of the fuel boost pumps is prohibited under certain conditions. This amendment adds a terminating modification for the requirements of the existing AD. This amendment is prompted by reports of internal electrical failures in the fuel boost pump of the wing fuel tanks that could result in either electrical arcing or localized overheating. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent such electrical arcing or overheating, which could breech the protective housing of the fuel boost pump and expose it to fuel vapors and fumes, and consequent potential fire or explosion in the wing fuel tank.

Final rule

99-24-12 LOCKHEED AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS COMPANY: Amendment 39-11436. Docket 99-NM-122-AD. Supersedes AD 98-08-09, Amendment 39-10492.

Applicability: Model L-1011-385-1, -385-1-14, -385-1-15, and -385-3 series airplanes, certificated in any category.

NOTE 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified, altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (d)(1) of this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously.

To prevent a potential fire or explosion in the wing fuel tank, accomplish the following:

RESTATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS OF AD 98-08-09, Amendment 39-10492
AFM Revision
(a) Within 50 flight hours or 10 days after April 28, 1998 (the effective date of AD 98-08-09, amendment 39-10492), whichever occurs first, revise the Limitations and Procedures Sections of the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to include the following information. This may be accomplished by inserting a copy of this AD into the AFM.

Add to Limitations Section:

FUEL SYSTEM
Fuel Pumps
Do not operate the fuel boost pumps of the affected wing tank in the air or on the ground when fuel quantities are less than the following:

Wing tanks 1 and 3: Less than 1,200 lbs. (545 kg) in each tank.

Wing tanks 2L and 2R: Less than 1,200 lbs. (545 kg) total in the two compartments (inboard and outboard) of each tank.These quantities should be considered unusable fuel for the purposes of fuel management.

When operating with a fuel boost pump assembly inoperative per Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) item number 28-24-01, add the following maintenance procedure:

Pull and collar the affected circuit breaker.

When operating with an inoperative flight station fuel quantity indicating system per MMEL item 28-41-00, do not operate the fuel boost pumps of the affected wing tank in the air or on the ground when fuel quantities are less than the following:

Wing tanks 1 and 3: Less than 7,000 lbs. (3,175 kg) in the affected tank.

Wing tanks 2L and 2R: Less than 1,200 lbs. (545 kg) total in the two compartments (inboard and outboard) of the affected tank.

Add to Procedures Section:

FUEL SYSTEM
Fuel Pumps
If the circuit breaker for any wing tank fuel boost pump (circuit breakers U3, U4, U7, U8, U9, U10, U13, U14) trips, do not reset. If the pump trips whilein flight, continue flight in accordance with the procedures in the "Tank Pumps LOW Lights On" portion of the Procedures section of the AFM. If the breaker trips while on the ground, do not reset without first identifying the source of the electrical fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Fuel Pumps
If the circuit breaker for any wing tank fuel boost pump (circuit breakers U3, U4, U7, U8, U9, U10, U13, U14) trips, do not reset. If the pump trips while in flight, continue flight in accordance with the procedures in the "Tank Pumps LOW Lights On" portion of the Procedures section of the AFM. If the breaker trips while on the ground, do not reset without first identifying the source of the electrical fault.

Placard Installation
(b) Within 50 flight hours or 10 days after April 28, 1998, whichever occurs first, install a placard on the engineer's fuel panel that states:

"If FQIS is operative, do not operate the fuel boost pumps when less than 1,200 pounds of fuel are in the corresponding wing tanks."

NEW REQUIREMENTS OF THIS AD
Modification
(c) Within 18 months after the effective date of this AD: Modify each fuel boost pump assembly in accordance with Parts 2.A. through 2.I. inclusive of the Accomplishment Instructions of Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28-093, Revision 1, dated February 8, 1999. Accomplishment of this modification terminates the requirements of this AD. Following accomplishment of the modification, the AFM revision may be removed from the AFM, and the placard may be removed.

Alternative Methods of Compliance
(d) (1) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be used if approved by the Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), FAA, Small Airplane Directorate. Operators shall submit their requests through an appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Atlanta ACO.

(2) Alternative methods of compliance, approved previously in accordance with AD 98-08-09, amendment 39-10492, are approved as alternative methods of compliance with this AD.

NOTE 2: Information concerning the existence of approved alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be obtained from the Atlanta ACO.

Special Flight Permits
(e) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.

Incorporation by Reference
(f) The modification shall be done in accordance with Lockheed Service Bulletin 093- 28-093, Revision 1, dated February 8, 1999, which contains the following list of effective pages:

Page Number
Revision Level Shown on Page
Date Shown on Page
1-4, 6
Original
January 15, 1999
5
1
February 8, 1999

This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from Lockheed Martin Aircraft & Logistics Center, 120 Orion Street, Greenville, South Carolina 29605. Copies may be inspected at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, One Crown Center, 1895 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 450, Atlanta, Georgia; or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.

(g) This amendment becomes effective on January 4, 2000.

A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) by superseding AD 98-08-09, amendment 39-10492 (63 FR 20062, April 23, 1998), which is applicable to certain Lockheed Model L-1011-385 series airplanes, was published in the Federal Register on July 14, 1999 (64 FR 37920). The action proposed to supersede AD 98-08-09 to continue to require revision of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to prohibit operation of the fuel boost pumps when fuel quantities are below certain levels, and to add maintenance procedures for operating the airplane with an inoperative fuel boost pump assembly or with an inoperative flight station fuel quantity indicating system. The action also proposed to continue to require the installation of a placard on the engineer s fuel panel to advise the maintenance crew that operation of the fuel boost pumps when less than 1,200 pounds of fuel are in the corresponding wing fuel tank is prohibited. It also proposed to require installation of a modified fuel boost pump assembly, which would terminate the requirements of the existing AD.

Comments
Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the making of this amendment. Due consideration has been given to the comments received.

Support for the Proposal
One commenter supports the proposed rule.

Request to Revise NOTE 2
One commenter requests that the FAA revise NOTE 2 [following paragraph (c) of the proposed AD] to read "NOTE 2: Modification of the fuel boost pump assemblies, prior to the effective date of this AD, in accordance with Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28-093, dated January 15, 1999, or Revision 1, dated February 8, 1999, is considered acceptable for compliance with paragraph (c) of this AD."

The commenter contends that accomplishment of the modification required by Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28-093, Revision 1, would be an acceptable means of compliance with paragraph (c) of the proposed AD, irrespective of whether the modification was accomplished prior to, or within 18 months after the effective date of the proposed AD.

The FAA does not concur with the commenter s request. Operators are given credit for work previously performed by means of the phrase in the "Compliance" section of the AD that states, "Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously." The FAA s intent is that operators accomplish the requirements of this AD after the effective date of this AD in accordance with the latest FAA-approved revision of Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28-093 (i.e., Revision 1, dated February 8, 1999). NOTE 2 gives credit to operators that accomplished the modification prior to the effective date of this AD in accordance with the original version of the service bulletin. Therefore, no change to the final rule is necessary.

Explanation of Change Made to Proposal
Since issuance of the proposed rule, the FAA has become aware that Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28-093, dated January 15, 1999, which was referenced in NOTE 2 of the proposed AD, was never released by the manufacturer. Therefore, the FAA has deleted NOTE 2 from the final rule and renumbered the subsequent notes accordingly.

The FAA also has added paragraph (d)(2) to the final rule to inform operators that alternative methods of compliance, approved previously in accordance with AD 98-08-09, amendment 39-10492, are approved as alternative methods of compliance for this final rule.

Conclusion
After careful review of the available data, including the comments noted above, the FAA has determined that air safety and the public interest require the adoption of the rule with the changes previously described. The FAA has determined that these changes will neither increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of the AD.

Cost Impact
There are approximately 235 Model L-1011-385 series airplanes of the affected design in the worldwide fleet. TheFAA estimates that 117 airplanes of U.S. registry will be affected by this AD.

The actions that are currently required by AD 98-08-09 take approximately 1 work hour per airplane to accomplish, at an average labor rate of $60 per work hour. Based on these figures, the cost impact of the currently required actions on U.S. operators is estimated to be $7,020, or $60 per airplane.

The modification that is required in this AD action will take approximately 8 work hours (1 hour per fuel pump assembly) per airplane to accomplish, at an average labor rate of $60 per work hour. Required parts will cost approximately $18,880 per airplane. Based on these figures, the cost impact of the modification required by this AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $2,265,120, or $19,360 per airplane.

The cost impact figures discussed above are based on assumptions that no operator has yet accomplished any of the requirements of this AD action, and that no operator would accomplish thoseactions in the future if this AD were not adopted.

Regulatory Impact
The regulations adopted herein will not have substantial direct effects 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. Therefore, in accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this final rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (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. A final evaluation has been prepared for this action and itis contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained from the Rules Docket at the location provided under the caption "ADDRESSES."

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to 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
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by removing amendment 39-10492 (63 FR 20062, April 23, 1998), and by adding a new airworthiness directive (AD), amendment 39-11436, to read as follows: