AD 2016-05-01

This AD is effective April 15, 2016.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 15, 2016.

For service information identified in this final rule, contact Piper Aircraft, Inc. 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32960; telephone: (415) 330-9500; email: sales@atp.com; and Internet: http://www.piper.com/technical-publications/. You may view this 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. It is also available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015-7205.

Gregory “Keith” Noles, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia 30337; phone: (404) 474-5551; fax: (404) 474-5606; email: gregory.noles@faa.gov.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 96-12-12, Amendment 39-9654 (61 FR 28732, June 6, 1996) (“AD 96-12-12”). AD 96-12-12 applied to certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, and PA-31-350 airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on December 9, 2015 (80 FR 76398). The NPRM was prompted by cracks found in the fuselage station (FS) 317.75 upper bulkhead, which could cause structural failure of the vertical fin forward spar and lead to loss of control. The NPRM proposed to require repetitive inspections of the bulkhead assembly at FS 317.75 for cracks, repair of cracks as necessary, and the installation of a reinforcement modification to prevent cracks from developing. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. The following presents the comment received on the NPRM (80 FR 76398, December 9, 2015) and the FAA's response to the comment.

Erin Talbott of Hageland Aviation Service commented that the estimated labor of 8 work-hours to install the reinforcement modification was incorrect. The commenter's company installed the modification on 3 of their airplanes, and the correct estimated work-hours for installation of the reinforcement modification was 32 work-hours.

We infer from the comment that the commenter requests we change the number of work-hours to more accurately state the estimated labor cost.

The FAA agrees with this comment, and we have revised the estimated Cost of Compliance section to reflect this change.

We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting this AD as proposed except for minor editorial changes. We have determined that these minor changes:

• Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the NPRM (80 FR 76398, December 9, 2015) for correcting the unsafe condition; and

• Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed in the NPRM (80 FR 76398, December 9, 2015).

We reviewed Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1273A, dated October 22, 2015. The service bulletin describes procedures for inspecting the bulkhead assembly at FS 317.75, repairing any cracks found, and installation of a reinforcement modification to prevent cracks from developing. This service information is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section of this final rule.

We estimate that this AD affects 977 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 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 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 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) 96-12-12, Amendment 39-9654 (61 FR 28732, June 6, 1996), and adding the following new AD: