AD 2013-14-11

This AD becomes effective August 9, 2013.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of August 9, 2013.

We must receive comments on this AD by September 9, 2013.

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, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Cesar Gomez, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe and Mechanical Systems Branch, ANE-171, FAA, New York Aircraft Certification Office, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, New York 11590; telephone (516) 228-7318; fax (516) 794-5531.

Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation authority for Canada, has issued Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-2013-13, dated May 28, 2013 (referred to after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or “the MCAI”), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI states:

There have been several reported incidents where Bombardier Regional Jet aeroplanes experienced in flight uncommanded rudder movements. Investigation revealed that a failure of the voltage regulator inside the yaw damper actuator could lead to uncommanded yaw movement. If not corrected, this condition could lead to the loss of the * * * [ability to control the] aeroplane.

This [TCCA] AD mandates the introduction of an emergency procedure to the Aeroplane Flight Manual (AFM) to address the above mentioned unsafe condition.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD docket.

Bombardier Inc., has issued the following emergency procedures for the AFMs:

• For Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes: Procedure 1., Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), of Section 03-06, Emergency Procedures—Automatic Flight Control System, of Chapter 3, Emergency Procedures, in Volume 1 of the Bombardier CRJ Series Regional Jet Model CL-600-2B19 AFM, CSP A-012, Revision 61, dated April 2, 2013.

• For Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702) airplanes: Procedure 1., Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), of Section 03-06, Emergency Procedures—Automatic Flight Control System, of Chapter 3, Emergency Procedures, in Volume 1 of the Bombardier CRJ Series Regional Jet Model CL-600-2C10 AFM, CSP B-012, Revision 11, dated February 14, 2013.

• For Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes: Procedure 1., Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), of Section 03-06, Emergency Procedures—Automatic Flight Control System, of Chapter 3, Emergency Procedures, in Volume 1 of the Bombardier CRJ Series Regional Jet Model CL-600-2D24 and Model CL-600-2D15 AFM, CSP C-012, Revision 7, dated February 14, 2013.

This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced above. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all pertinent information and determined the unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

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 of a possible failure of the voltage regulator inside the yaw damper actuator that could lead to uncommanded yaw movement, which could lead to the loss of the ability to control the airplane. Therefore, we determined that notice and opportunity for public comment before issuing this AD are impracticable and that good cause exists for making this amendment effective in fewer than 30 days.

This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight safety, and we did not precede it by notice and opportunity for public comment. We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include “Docket No. FAA-2013-0623; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-109-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 929 airplanes of U.S. registry.

We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

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.

We 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 this AD:

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);

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.

We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 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 adding the following new AD: