DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24785; Directorate Identifier 2006-NE-20-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Lycoming Engines Reciprocating Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); reopening of
comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive
(AD) for certain Lycoming Engines (L)O-360, (L)IO-360, AEIO-360, O-540,
IO-540, AEIO-540, (L)TIO-540, IO-580, and IO-720 series reciprocating
engines. That NPRM proposed to require replacing certain crankshafts of
affected engine models. This action revises that NPRM by including the
IO-390, AEIO-390, and AEIO-580 series engine models having affected
crankshafts. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to prevent failure
of the crankshaft, which will result in total engine power loss, in-
flight engine failure, and possible loss of the aircraft. Since these
actions impose an additional burden over that proposed in the NPRM, we
are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to
comment on these proposed changes.

DATES: We must receive comments on this supplemental NPRM by June 5, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, 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 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For service information identified in this AD, contact Lycoming,
652 Oliver Street, Williamsport, PA 17701; phone: 570-323-6181; fax:
570-327-7101, or on the internet at www.Lycoming.Textron.com. You may
review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, Engine
& Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA.
For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call
781-238-7125.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov;
or in person at the Docket Management Facility
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street
address for the Docket Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES
section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after
receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Norm Perenson, Aerospace Engineer, New
York Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller
Directorate, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone:
516-228-7337; fax: 516-794-5531; email: norman.perenson@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2006-
24785; Directorate Identifier 2006-NE-20-AD" at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposed 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 proposed AD.

Discussion

We issued an NPRM supersedure to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an
AD that would apply to Lycoming Engines (L)O-360, (L)IO-360, AEIO-360,
O-540, IO-540, AEIO-540, (L)TIO-540, IO-580, and IO-720 series
reciprocating engines. That NPRM published in the Federal Register on
August 12, 2011 (76 FR 50152). That NPRM supersedure proposed to retain
all of the requirements of AD 2006-20-09 (71 FR 57407, September 29,
2006), and would expand the affected engines by moving the start date
of affected engine models back from March 1, 1997, to January 1, 1997.
All references to March 1, 1997 in AD 2006-20-09, and the NPRM
supersedure are, therefore, obsolete and the start date of affected
models in this supplemental NPRM supersedure is changed to January 1,
1997. Lycoming also changed its Service Instruction No. 1009AS dated
May 25, 2006 to Service Instruction No. 1009AU, dated November 18,
2009. The changes to Service Instruction 1009 do not affect the engine
overhaul time.

Actions Since Previous NPRM Was Issued

Since we issued the previous NPRM (76 FR 50152, August 12, 2011),
Lycoming Engines made us aware of additional engine models with
crankshafts affected by the unsafe condition. They are the IO-390,
AEIO-390, and AEIO-580 series reciprocating engines. These engine
models were considered experimental and did not have a type certificate
when we issued AD 2006-20-09 (71 FR 57407, September 29, 2006). These
models now have type certificates and so we propose to add them in this
supplemental NPRM.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to comment on the original NPRM.
We received no comments on that NPRM (76 FR 50152, August 12, 2011).

FAA's Determination

We are proposing this supplemental NPRM because we evaluated all
the relevant information and determined the unsafe condition described
previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same
type design. Certain changes described above expand the scope of the
original NPRM (76 FR 50152, August 12, 2011). As a result, we have
determined that it is necessary to reopen the comment period to provide
additional opportunity for the public to comment on this supplemental
NPRM.

Proposed Requirements of the Supplemental NPRM

This supplemental NPRM would retain all of the requirements of AD
2006-20-09 (71 FR 57407, September 29, 2006). This supplemental NPRM
would also change the start date of affected engine models from March
1, 1997, to January 1, 1997, and would add Lycoming Engines IO-390,
AEIO-390, and AEIO-580 series reciprocating engines to the
applicability.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this proposed AD would require no additional costs
of compliance over those in the original AD 2006-20-09, which are
$60,384,000. This proposed AD carries over the original costs of
compliance. We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 3,774
engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. Because the proposed
AD compliance interval coincides with engine overhaul or other engine
maintenance, we estimate no additional labor hours will be needed to
comply with this proposed AD. Parts would cost about $16,000 per
engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of the
proposed AD to be $60,384,000. Our estimate is independent of any
possible warranty coverage.

Authority for This Rulemaking

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.

Regulatory Findings

We determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 this proposed
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),

(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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

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

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

Sec. 39.13 [Amended]

2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):