AD 2004-05-24

Effective March 30, 2004. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of Lycoming Service Bulletin 554, dated September 30, 2002, on November 19, 2002 (67 FR 68932, November 14, 2002). The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 554, Supplement 5, dated August 15, 2003, as of March 30, 2004.

We must receive any comments on this AD by May 14, 2004.

Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on this AD:

• By mail: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), New England Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 2002-NE-31-AD, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299.

• By fax: (781) 238-7055.

• By e-mail: 9-ane-adcomment@faa.gov

You can get the service information referenced in this AD from Lycoming, a Textron Company, 652 Oliver Street, Williamsport, PA 17701; telephone (570) 323-6181. You can also access this service information electronically on http://www.lycoming.textron.com.

You may examine the AD docket, by appointment, at the FAA, New England Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA. You may examine the service information, by appointment, at the FAA, New England Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA; or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.

Norm Perenson, Aerospace Engineer, New York Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone (516) 228 7337; fax (516) 794 5531.

On November 8, 2002, we issued AD 2002-23-06, Amendment 39-12950 (67 FR 68932, November 14, 2002). That AD requires replacing the crankshaft gear retaining bolt:

• Before further flight on engines that have been overhauled or have had the gear retaining bolt replaced between November 27, 1996 and November 10, 1998, and that have not complied with emergency AD 2002-20-51 by using a bolt from the gear bolt replacement kit, 05K19987 and

• Within 10 hours time-in-service (TIS) or 7 days after the effective date of that AD, on engines that have complied with AD 2002-20-51, but did not install a bolt from gear bolt replacement kit, 05K19987, and

• Within 10 hours TIS or 7 days after the effective date of that AD, on engines that have been overhauled in the field, or that have had the gear retaining bolt replaced in the field between November 10, 1998, and the effective date of AD 2002-23-06 (November 19, 2002).

That AD was prompted by two failures of zinc-plated crankshaft gear retaining bolts, and a reassessment of the extent to which the suspect bolts may still be present in the field. That condition, if not corrected, could result in loss of all engine power and possible forced landing.

Since that AD was issued, Lycoming identified 161 additional engines by serial number (SN) that they might have assembled with a zinc-plated crankshaft gear retaining bolt, part number (P/N) STD-2209, during the initial assembly or during a subsequent rebuild or overhaul of the engine. Lycoming also developed five additional kits for other maintenance purposes that also contain replacement gear retaining bolts. We approved those kits as alternate methods of compliance with AD 2002-23-06, and incorporated those kits in this new AD. In addition, any bolt, STD-2209, installed by Lycoming after November 10, 1998, is cadmium plated and is not affected by AD 2002-23-06. This includes STD-2209 bolts installed using Service Bulletin (SB) 554 in production, overhaul, or for any other reason. Lycoming has replaced bolt, STD-2209, with bolt, STD-2247. This new bolt, STD-2247, is not affected by this AD.

We have reviewed and approved the technical contents of Lycoming SB No. 554, dated September 30, 2002, that describes procedures for replacing the existing crankshaft gear retaining bolt. We have also reviewed Lycoming Mandatory SB (MSB) No. 554, Supplement 5, dated August 15, 2003. That MSB provides lists of engine SNs, by engine model, of engines that were assembled with zinc-plated crankshaft gear retaining bolt, P/N STD-2209, during the initial assembly or during a subsequent rebuild or overhaul of the engine by Lycoming.

The unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other T/L AEIO-540, IO-540, O-540, LTIO-540, and TIO-540 series reciprocating engines of the same type design. We are issuing this AD to prevent the loss of all engine power and possible forced landing. This AD requires replacing the crankshaft gear retaining bolt:

• Before further flight on engines that have been overhauled or have had the gear retaining bolt replaced between November 27, 1996 and November 10, 1998, by Lycoming, that have an engine serial number listed in Lycoming SB 554, and that have not complied with AD 2002-23-06.

• Before further flight on engines that have complied with AD 2002-23-06, but did not install a bolt from gear bolt replacement kits: 05K19987, 05K23325, 05K23326, 05K23327, 05K23335, or 05K233367, or with a bolt that has a P/N other than P/N STD-2209.

• Before further flight on engines that have been overhauled in the field, between November 27, 1996 and the affective date of AD 2002-23-06 (November 19, 2002) that have not had the gear retaining bolt replaced with a bolt from kits: 05K19987, 05K23325, 05K23326, 05K23327, 05K23335 or 05K23336, or with a bolt that has a P/N other than P/N STD-2209.

• Within 10 hours TIS or 7 days after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs earlier, on engines listed by SN in Lycoming MSB No. 554, Supplement 5, dated August 15, 2003.

You must use the service information described previously to perform the actions required by this AD.

Since an unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of this AD, we have found that notice and opportunity for public comment before issuing this AD are impracticable, and that good cause exists for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

On July 10, 2002, we issued a new version of 14 CFR part 39 (67 FR 47997, July 22, 2002), which governs our AD system. This regulation now includes material that relates to special flight permits, alternative methods of compliance, and altered products. This material previously was included in each individual AD. Since this material is included in 14 CFR part 39, we will not include it in future AD actions.

This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight safety and was not preceded by notice and an opportunity for public comment; however, we invite you to submit any written relevant data, views, or arguments regarding this AD. Send your comments to an address listed under ADDRESSES. Include “AD Docket No. 2002-NE-31-AD” in the subject line of your comments. If you want us to acknowledge receipt of your mailed comments, send us a self-addressed, stamped postcard with the docket number written on it; we will date-stamp your postcard and mail it back to you. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the rule that might suggest a need to modify it. If a person contacts us verbally, and that contact relates to a substantive part of this AD, we will summarize the contact and place the summary in the docket. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the AD in light of those comments.

We are reviewing the writing style we currently use in regulatory documents. We are interested in your comments on whether the style of this document is clear, and your suggestions to improve the clarity of our communications with you. You may get more information about plain language at http://www.faa.gov/language and http://www.plainlanguage.gov.

You may examine the AD Docket (including any comments and service information), by appointment, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. See ADDRESSES for the location.

We have determined that 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 the regulation:

1. Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866;

2. Is not a “significant rule” under the 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.

We prepared a summary of the costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by sending a request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include “AD Docket No. 2002-NE-31-AD” in your request.

Accordingly, under 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:

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

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by removing Amendment 39-12950 (67 FR 68932, November 14, 2002) and by adding a new airworthiness directive, Amendment 39-13519, to read as follows: