Summary
This document withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would have applied to all American Champion Aircraft Corporation (ACAC) 7, 8, and 11 series airplanes, excluding Model 8GCBC airplanes. The proposed AD would have required installing inspection holes on the top and bottom wing surfaces, repetitively inspecting the front and rear wood spars for damage, repairing or replacing any damaged wood spar, and installing inspection covers. Damage is defined as cracks; compression cracks; longitudinal cracks through the bolt holes or nail holes; or loose or missing rib nails. The proposed AD results from a review of the service history of the affected airplanes that incorporate wood wing spars. The review was prompted by in-flight wing structural failures on ACAC Model 8GCBC airplanes, and revealed several incidents where damage was found on the front and rear wood spars on the affected airplanes. The FAA received comments on the NPRM that recommended alternative methods of complying with the proposed AD and recommended combining the proposed AD with the actions of the current AD required for the ACAC Model 8GCBC airplanes. The FAA has determined that the ideas in the above-referenced comments have merit and should be implemented, and is therefore withdrawing the NPRM and proposing these actions in a new AD that would supersede the current AD required for ACAC Model 8GCBC airplanes.