AD 2003-17-03 R1

This AD is effective November 14, 2012.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain other publications listed in this AD as of September 3, 2003 (68 FR 50693, August 22, 2003).

We must receive any comments on this AD by December 31, 2012.

You may send comments by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

• Fax: 202-493-2251.

• Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For service information identified in this AD, contact Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A—Airworthiness Office, Via Luigi Cibrario, 4-16154 Genova-Italy; phone: +39 010 6481353; fax: +39 010 6481881; email: airworthiness@piaggioaero.it; Internet: http://www.piaggioaero.com/#/en/aftersales/service-support. You may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

Mike Kiesov, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4144; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: mike.kiesov@faa.gov.

On August 12, 2003, we issued AD 2003-17-03, amendment 39-13277 (68 FR 50693, August 22, 2003), for certain Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Model P-180 airplanes. That AD requires inspection and determination of whether any firewall shutoff or crossfeed valve with a serial number in a certain range is installed and requires replacement or modifications of any valve that has a serial number within this range. This AD allows the pilot to check the logbook and does not require the inspection and replacement requirement if the check shows that one of these valves is definitely not installed.

That AD resulted from a ground fire on the left-hand engine nacelle of one of the affected airplanes caused by a cracked firewall crossfeed valve that had leaked fuel. This airplane model is manufactured in Italy and is type certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of section 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile (ENAC), which is the airworthiness authority for Italy, issued Italian RAI-AD 2003-119, dated April 3, 2003, in order to ensure the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in Italy.

We issued that AD to prevent a faulty firewall shutoff or crossfeed valve from developing cracks and leaking fuel, which could result in an engine fire.

Since we issued AD 2003-17-03 (68 FR 50693, August 22, 2003), we learned that the way the applicability was written includes valves that should not be affected and are not included in PIAGGIO Aero Industries S.p.A. Service Bulletin No. ASB80-0191, dated February 27, 2003.

We reviewed PIAGGIO Aero Industries S.p.A. Service Bulletin (SB) No. ASB80-0191, dated February 27, 2003; and Electromech Technologies SB 484-3 AB, dated February 18, 2003. The service information describes procedures for replacing/modifying the firewall and crossfeed valves.

We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

This AD requires the same actions as AD 2003-17-03 (68 FR 50693, August 22, 2003), but only affects those firewall shutoff and crossfeed valves referenced in PIAGGIO Aero Industries S.p.A. SB No. ASB80-0191, dated February 27, 2003.

An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of this AD. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because the current AD includes firewall shutoff and crossfeed valves that should not be affected by the required actions. Therefore, we find that notice and opportunity for prior public comment are unnecessary and that good cause exists for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight safety, and we did not provide you with notice and an opportunity to provide your comments before it becomes effective. However, we invite you to send any written data, views, or arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number FAA-2012-1181 and directorate identifier 2003-CE-030-AD at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this AD because of those comments.

We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we receive about this AD.

We estimate that this AD affects 102 airplanes of U.S. registry.

We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

We estimate the following costs to do any necessary replacements/modifications that would be required based on the results of the determination. We have no way of determining the number of aircraft that might need these replacements:

Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, Section 106, describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.

We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701, “General requirements.” Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.

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.

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 DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(4) 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.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:

1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by removing airworthiness directive (AD) 2003-17-03, Amendment 39-13277 (68 FR 50693, August 22, 2003), and adding the following new AD: