AD 95-26-14

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to Beech Aircraft Corporation (Beech) Model 1900D airplanes. This action will require inspecting the cabin partition to ensure that a right-hand forward partition bracket exists on certain airplanes, installing this bracket if it does not exist, and improving the right-hand forward partition installation on all affected airplanes. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent cabin partition failure because of a structural deficiency in the bracket or if the bracket is not installed, which, if not detected and corrected, could cause passenger injury if the partition could not withstand the load incurred with the baggage compartment loaded to its 250-pound limit.

Final rule

95-26-14 BEECH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION: Amendment 39-9474; Docket No. 94-CE-33-AD.

Applicability: Model 1900D airplanes, serial numbers UE-2 through UE-92, certificated in any category.

NOTE 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the preceding applicability revision, 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) 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 within the next 400 hours time-in-service(TIS) after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.

To prevent cabin partition failure because of a structural deficiency, which, if not detected and corrected, could cause passenger injury if the partition could not withstand the load incurred with the baggage compartment loaded to its 250-pound limit, accomplish the following:

(a) For airplanes incorporating one of the following serial numbers: UE-2 through UE-68, UE-70 through UE-72, or UE-74 through UE-77, inspect the cabin partition to ensure that a right- hand partition bracket, part number (P/N) 129-530043-79, exists. If this bracket does not exist, prior to further flight, install this bracket with P/N MS27039-1-09 screws and P/N AN960PD10 washers in accordance with Kit Drawing No. 129-5007 as referenced in Beech Service Bulletin (SB) No. 2556, Revision 1, dated February 1995.

(b) For all affected serial numbers (UE-2 through UE-92), improve the right-hand forward partition installation in accordance with Kit Drawing No. 129-5007, as referenced in Beech SB No. 2556, Revision 1, dated February 1995.

(c) 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.

(d) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Mid-Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209. The request shall be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Wichita ACO.

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

(e) The installation and modification required by thisAD shall be done in accordance with Kit Drawing No. 129-5007, as referenced in Beech Service Bulletin No. 2556, Revision 1, dated February 1995. 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 the Beech Aircraft Corporation, P.O. Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 67201-0085. Copies may be inspected at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., 7th Floor, suite 700, Washington, DC.

(f) This amendment (39-9474) becomes effective on January 31, 1996.

A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that would apply to Beech Model 1900D airplanes was published in the Federal Register on April 17, 1995 (60 FR 19172). The action proposed to require inspecting the right-hand forward partition on certain serial number airplanes to ensure that the partition bracket exists, installing this bracket if it does not exist, and incorporating a structural improvement to the right-hand forward partition on all affected airplanes. Accomplishment of the proposed action will be in accordance with Kit Drawing No. 129-5007, as referenced in Beech Service Bulletin No. 2556, Revision 1, dated February 1995.

Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the making of this amendment. No comments were received on the proposed rule or the FAA's determination of the cost to the public. Since issuance of the NPRM, the FAA realized that it inadvertently miscalculated the cost impact upon the public, specifically the number of airplanes affected and the number of workhours necessary to accomplish the actions. The final rule has been revised to incorporate these updated cost figures. The FAA does not believe that these changes will adversely affect this AD action.

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 as proposed 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.

The FAA estimates that 83 airplanes in the U.S. registry will be affected by the required inspection and possible installation and 91 airplanes worldwide will be affected by the required modification. The required inspection and possible installation will take approximately 6 workhours per airplane to accomplish and the required modification will take approximately 4 workhours to accomplish, with a labor rate of $60 an hour. Parts for the required modification cost approximately $650 per airplane. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $103,750. This figure is based on the assumption that no owner/operator of the affected airplanes has accomplished the modification and no airplane has a right-hand forward partition bracket installed and would need one installed.

Beech has informed the FAA that it has distributed parts (Kit No. 129-5007-1 S) to accommodate approximately 58 of the affected airplanes. Assuming that each of these distributed kits is incorporated on one of the affected airplanes, the cost of this AD would be further reduced by $72,500 from $103,750 to $31,250.

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 USC 106(g), 40101, 40113, 44701.

Section 39.13 - [AMENDED]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive (AD) to read as follows: