AD 98-16-03

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain SOCATA - Groupe AEROSPATIALE (Socata) Models TB9 and TB10 airplanes. This AD requires repetitively inspecting the wing front attachments on the wing and fuselage sides for cracks, and repetitively incorporating a certain modification kit (type of kit and time of incorporation depends on whether cracks are found during the inspection). This AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for France. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent structural failure of the wing front attachments caused by fatigue cracking, which could result in the wing separating from the airplane if the airplane is operated with cracked wing front attachments over an extended period of time.

Final rule.

98-16-03 SOCATA - GROUPE AEROSPATIALE: Amendment 39-10677; Docket No. 95-CE-72-AD.

Applicability: The following airplane models and serial numbers, certificated in any category:

Model TB9, serial numbers 1 through 9999; and

Model TB10, serial numbers 1 through 803, 805, 806, 809 through 815, 820, 821, and 822.

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 (g) 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 in the body of this AD, unless already accomplished.

To prevent structural failure of the wing front attachments caused by fatigue cracking, which could result in the wing separating from the airplane if the airplane is operated with cracked wing front attachments over an extended period of time, accomplish the following:

NOTE 2: The compliance times of this AD are presented in landings instead of hours time-in-service (TIS). If the number of landings is unknown, hours TIS may be used by multiplying the number of hours TIS by 1.5.

(a) For all affected airplanes, upon accumulating 3,000 landings on the wing front attachments or within the next 100 landings after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 3,000 landings, inspect the wing front attachments (both the wing sides and fuselage sides) in accordancewith Socata Service Bulletin No. SB 10-081-57, Amendment 1, dated August 1996.

(b) For all affected airplanes, accomplish the following on the wing front attachments on the wing sides:

(1) If no cracks are found on the wing front attachments on the wing sides during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, upon accumulating 12,000 landings on these wing front attachments or within the next 100 landings after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6,000 landings provided no cracks are found during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, incorporate Modification Kit OPT10 911000 in accordance with Socata Technical Instruction No. 9110, which incorporates the following pages:

Pages
Revision Level
Date
0 and 1
Amendment 1
January 31, 1992
2 through 11
Original Issue
October 1985

(2) If a crack(s) is found on the wing front attachments on the wing sides during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, prior to further flight, incorporate Modification Kit OPT10 911000 in accordance with Socata Technical Instruction No. 9110. Incorporate this kit at intervals not to exceed 6,000 landings thereafter provided no cracks are found during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD.

(c) For Models TB9 and TB10 airplanes, with a serial number in the range of 1 through 399, or with a serial number of 413; that do not have either Socata Service Letter (SL) 10-14 incorporated or Socata Modification Kit OPT10 908100 incorporated, accomplish the following on the wing front attachments on the fuselage sides:

(1) If no cracks are found on the wing front attachments on the fuselage sides during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, upon accumulating 6,000 landings on these wing front attachments or within the next 100 landings after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 12,000 landings provided no cracks are found during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, incorporate Modification Kit OPT10 919800 in accordance with Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT10 9198-53, dated October 1994.

(2) If a crack(s) is found on the wing front attachments on the fuselage sides during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, prior to further flight, incorporate Modification Kit OPT10 919800 in accordance with Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT10 9198-53, dated October 1994. Incorporate this kit at intervals not to exceed 12,000 landings thereafter provided no cracks are found during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD.

(d) For Models TB9 and TB10 airplanes, with a serial number in the range of 1 through 399, or with a serial number of 413; that have either Socata Service Letter (SL) 10-14 incorporated or Socata Modification Kit OPT10 908100 incorporated, accomplish the following on the wing front attachments on the fuselage sides:

(1) If no cracks are found on the wing front attachments on the fuselage sides during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, upon accumulating 12,000 landings on these wing front attachments or within the next 100 landings after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 12,000 landings provided no cracks are found during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, incorporate Modification Kit OPT10 919800 in accordance with Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT10 9198-53, dated October 1994.

(2) If a crack(s) is found on the wing front attachments on the fuselage sides during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, prior to further flight, incorporate Modification Kit OPT10 919800 in accordance with Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT10 9198-53, dated October 1994. Incorporate this kit at intervals not to exceed12,000 landings thereafter provided no cracks are found during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD.

(e) For Models TB9 and TB10 airplanes, with a serial number in the range of 400 through 412, or with a serial number in the range of 414 through 9999; accomplish the following on the wing front attachments on the fuselage sides:

(1) If no cracks are found on the wing front attachments on the fuselage sides during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, upon accumulating 12,000 landings on these wing front attachments or within the next 100 landings after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 12,000 landings provided no cracks are found during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, incorporate Modification Kit OPT10 908100 in accordance with Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT10 9081-53, Amendment 2, dated October 1994.

(2) If a crack(s) is found on the wingfront attachments on the fuselage sides during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD, prior to further flight, incorporate Modification Kit OPT10 908100 in accordance with Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT10 9081-53, Amendment 2, dated October 1994. Incorporate this kit at intervals not to exceed 12,000 landings thereafter provided no cracks are found during any inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD.

NOTE 3: "Unless already accomplished" credit may be used if the kits that are required by paragraphs (c)(1), (d)(1), and (e)(1) of this AD are already incorporated on the applicable airplanes. As specified in the AD, repetitive incorporation of these kits would still be required at intervals not to exceed 12,000 landings provided no cracks are found.

(f) 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.

(g) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the initial or repetitive compliance times that provides an equivalent level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. The request shall be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Small Airplane Directorate.

NOTE 4: Information concerning the existence of approved alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be obtained from the Small Airplane Directorate.

(h) Questions or technical information related to the service information referenced in this AD should be directed to the SOCATA - Groupe AEROSPATIALE, Socata Product Support, Aeroport Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, B P 930, 65009 Tarbes Cedex, France; telephone: 33-5-62-41-76-52; facsimile: 33-5-62-41-76-54; or the Product Support Manager, SOCATA Aircraft, North Perry Airport, 7501 Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023; telephone: (954) 893-1400; facsimile: (954) 964-1402. This service information may be examined at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri.

(i) The inspections required by this AD shall be done in accordance with Socata Service Bulletin No. SB 10-081-57, Amendment 1, dated August 1996. The modifications required by this AD shall be done in accordance with Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT10 9198-53, dated October 1994; Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT10 9081-53, Amendment 2, dated October 1994; and Socata Technical Instruction No. 9110, which incorporates the following pages:

Pages
Revision Level
Date
0 and 1
Amendment 1
January 31, 1992
2 through 11
Original Issue
October 1985

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 SOCATA - Groupe AEROSPATIALE, Socata Product Support, Aeroport Tarbes-Ossun-Lourdes, B P 930, 65009 Tarbes Cedex, France or the Product Support Manager, SOCATA Aircraft, North Perry Airport, 7501 Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33023. Copies may be inspected at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW, suite 700, Washington, DC.

NOTE 5: The subject of this AD is addressed in French AD 94-264(A), dated December 7, 1994.

(j) This amendment becomes effective on September 21, 1998.

Events Leading to the Issuance of This AD
A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that would apply to certain Socata Models TB9 and TB10 airplanes was published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on May 22, 1998 (63 FR 28299). The NPRM proposed to require repetitively inspecting the wing front attachments on the wing and fuselage sides for cracks, and repetitively incorporating a certain modification kit (type of kit and time of incorporation depends on whether cracks are found during the inspection). Accomplishment of the proposed action as specified in the NPRM would be in accordance with Socata Service Bulletin No. SB 10-081-57, Amendment 1, dated August 1996. Accomplishment of the proposed modifications, as applicable, would be required in accordance with the Technical Instructions for Modification included with each kit.

The NPRM was the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for France.

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

Comment Disposition
Socata states that reference to one of the service documents was incorrectly referenced in the NPRM. In particular, Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT 109081-53 was referenced as Socata Technical Instruction of Modification OPT 109181-53 in both paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2) of the AD.

The FAA concurs that this service document was incorrectly referenced. This was inadvertent on the FAA's part. The final rule will include the correct reference to this document.

The FAA's Determination
After careful review of all available information related to the subject presented above, the FAA has determined that air safety and the public interest require the adoption of the rule asproposed except for minor editorial corrections. The FAA has determined that these minor corrections will not change the meaning of the AD and will not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed.

Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 113 airplanes in the U.S. registry will be affected by this AD.

The initial inspection will take approximately 3 workhours per airplane to accomplish, at an average labor rate of approximately $60 an hour. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of this inspection on U.S. operators is estimated to be $20,340, or $180 per airplane.

The initial modifications will take approximately 32 workhours to accomplish, at an average labor rate of $60 per hour. Parts cost approximately $1,125 per airplane. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the initial modifications on U.S. operators is estimated to be $344,085, or $3,045 per airplane.

These figures only take into account the costs of the initial inspection and initial modifications. The FAA has no way of determining the number of repetitive inspections and modifications each owner/operator of the affected airplanes will incur.

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 copy of the final evaluation prepared for this action is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained by contacting 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 adding a new airworthiness directive (AD) to read as follows: