AD 2019-07-02

This AD is effective May 17, 2019.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain document listed in this AD as of May 17, 2019.

For service information identified in this final rule, contact Robinson Helicopter Company, 2901 Airport Drive, Torrance, CA 90505; telephone (310) 539-0508; fax (310) 539-5198; or at http://www.robinsonheli.com/servelib.htm. You may review a copy of the referenced service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. It is also available on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-1236.

Danny Nguyen, Aerospace Engineer, Los Angeles ACO Branch, Compliance and Airworthiness Division, FAA, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 90712; telephone (562) 627-5247; email danny.nguyen@faa.gov.

On September 21, 2018, at 83 FR 47848, the Federal Register published our notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to Robinson Helicopter Model R66 helicopters, serial numbers 0003 through 0789, 0791, 0794 and 0796. The NPRM proposed to require, within 100 hours time-in-service (TIS), inspecting the oil tank outlet fitting color and replacing the tank before further flight if the fitting is blue. The NPRM also proposed to require determining the revision letter of the G689-1 oil tank assembly identification ink stamp and then installing G805-1 angle if the identification ink stamp is followed by revision letter F, G, H, or I, or by revision letter J with no yellow dot near the ink stamp. For revision letter J, a yellow dot indicates that the angle has been pre-installed and that no further action would be necessary. If the identification ink stamp is followed by a revision letter K, the NPRM proposed no further action would be necessary.

The NPRM was prompted by report of broken oil tank internal baffles caused by vibration. The proposed requirements were intended to prevent a broken baffle inside an oil tank, which could result in loss of oil pressure and oil flow to the engine, leading to engine failure and subsequent forced landing of the helicopter.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD, but we did not receive any comments on the NPRM.

We have reviewed the relevant information and determined that an unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design and that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD requirements as proposed.

We reviewed Robinson Helicopter R66 Service Bulletin SB-21A, Revision A, dated June 6, 2017, which specifies installing an angle in the tank outlet to prevent a failed baffle from blocking the outlet.

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.

The service information specifies performing the corrective actions within the next 100 hours TIS or by July 31, 2017, whichever comes first. This AD requires the actions within 100 hours TIS.

We estimate that this AD affects 265 helicopters of U.S. Registry. We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in order to comply with this AD. Labor costs average $85 a work-hour.

The cost for identifying the oil tank assembly identification ink stamp and outlet fitting color is minimal. Inserting a G805-1 angle requires about 1 work-hour and parts cost about $17 for an estimated cost of $102 per helicopter.

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.

We prepared an economic 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 airworthiness directive (AD):