DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2019-1113; Project Identifier MCAI-2019-00117-E]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Austro Engine GmbH Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for all Austro Engine GmbH model E4 and E4P diesel piston engines. This
proposed AD was prompted by reports of considerable wear of the timing
chain and failure of fuel injectors on these engines. This proposed AD
would require replacement of the timing chain and fuel injectors on the
affected Austro Engine GmbH model E4 and E4P diesel piston engines. The
FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these
products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by May 4,
2020.

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 https://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: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Austro
Engine GmbH, Rudolf-Diesel-Strasse 11, A-2700 Weiner Neustadt, Austria;
phone: +43 2622 23000; fax: +43 2622 23000-2711; website:
www.austroengine.at. You may view this service information at the FAA,
Engine and Propeller Standards Branch, 1200 District Avenue,
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 781-238-7759.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.
gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-1113;
or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains
this NPRM, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI),
any comments received, and other information. The street address for
Docket Operations is listed above. Comments will be available in the AD
docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mehdi Lamnyi, Aerospace Engineer, ECO
Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-
238-7743; fax: 781-238-7199; email: Mehdi.Lamnyi@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

The FAA invites 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-2019-1113;
Project Identifier MCAI-2019-00117-E" at the beginning of your
comments. The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall
regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM.
The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may
amend this NPRM because of those comments.

Except for Confidential Business Information as described in the
following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you
provide. The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive
verbal contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial
information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by
its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552),
CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to
this NPRM contain commercial or financial information that is
customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and
that is relevant or responsive to this NPRM, it is important that you
clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page
of your submission containing CBI as "PROPIN." The FAA will treat
such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will
not be placed in the public docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing
CBI should be sent to Mehdi Lamnyi, Aerospace Engineer, ECO Branch,
FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. Any commentary that
the FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be
placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Discussion

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has
issued EASA AD 2019-0041, dated February 25, 2019 (referred to after
this as "the MCAI"), to address the unsafe condition on these
products. The MCAI states:

The airworthiness limitations and maintenance tasks for the
Austro Engine E4 and E4P engines, which are approved by EASA, are
currently defined and published in the Austro Engine MM, Chapter 04.
These instructions have been identified as mandatory for continued
airworthiness.

Failure to accomplish these instructions could result in an
unsafe condition.

Austro Engine recently revised the ALS, introducing life limit
for the engine timing chain and for the fuel injectors.

For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires
accomplishment of the actions specified in the ALS.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD
docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for
and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-1113.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Austro Engine Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No.
MSB-E4-025, Rev. No. 3, dated January 8, 2019. The MSB describes
procedures for replacing the fuel injectors. 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.

Other Related Service Information

The FAA reviewed Austro Engine Maintenance Manual (MM) Temporary
Revision (TR) MM-TR-MDC-E4-454, dated October 3, 2018. The MM TR
updates the time limits for the fuel injectors and timing chain and
describes procedures for updating the Airworthiness Limitation Section
in the existing approved MM.

FAA's Determination

This product has been approved by EASA and is approved for
operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement
with the European Community, EASA has notified us of the unsafe
condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced
above. The FAA is proposing this AD because it evaluated all the
relevant information provided by EASA and determined the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in other
products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements

This proposed AD would require replacement of the timing chain and
fuel injectors on the affected Austro Engine GmbH model E4 and E4P
diesel piston engines.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI

EASA AD 2019-0041, dated February 25, 2019, requires replacing
components included in the revised ALS and updating the approved
Aircraft Maintenance Program (AMP). This AD requires replacing the
timing chain and the fuel injectors and does not require updating the
AMP.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 263 engines
installed on airplanes of U.S. registry.

The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:

Estimated Costs

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.

The FAA is 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

The FAA 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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(3) 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):