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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2020-0222; Project Identifier AD-2019-00116-E]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Continental Aerospace Technologies,
Inc. (Type Certificate Previously Held by Continental Motors, Inc.)
Reciprocating 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 Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. model GTSIO-520-C,
GTSIO-520-D, GTSIO-520-H, GTSIO-520-K, GTSIO-520-L, GTSIO-520-M, GTSIO-
520-N, IO-550-G, IO-550-N, IO-550-P, IO-550-R, IOF-550-N, IOF-550-P,
IOF-550-R, TSIO-520-BE, TSIO-550-A, TSIO-550-B, TSIO-550-C, TSIO-550-E,
TSIO-550-G, TSIO-550-K, TSIO-550-N, TSIOF-550-D, TSIOF-550-J, TSIOF-
550-K, and TSIOF-550-P reciprocating aviation gasoline (AvGas) engines
with a certain cross-flow cylinder assembly installed. This proposed AD
was prompted by reports of in-flight engine failures due to fractured
cross-flow cylinder assemblies. This proposed AD would require visual
inspection and, depending on the results of the inspection,
modification or replacement of the cross-flow cylinder assembly. 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 June
1,
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
Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc., 2039
South Broad Street, Mobile, Alabama 36615, United States; phone: 251-
436-8299; website: http://www.continentalmotors.aero. 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-2020-0222;
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, 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: Boyce Jones, Aerospace Engineer,
Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia
30337; phone: 404-474-5535; fax: 404-474-5606; email:
boyce.jones@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2020-0222;
Project Identifier AD-2019-00116-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 Boyce Jones, Aerospace Engineer, Atlanta ACO
Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia 30337. 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 FAA received reports of six in-flight engine failures due to
fractured cross-flow cylinder assemblies, all of which resulted in the
loss of oil pressure, loss of engine power, and forced landings.
Analysis by the manufacturer identified that the casting vendor
incorporated a new production tooling that created casting material
build-up on the radius edge of the cross-flow cylinder assemblies.
Fracture initiation began at the radius edge of cross-flow cylinder
assembly. This condition, if not addressed, could result in failure of
the engine, in-flight shutdown, and forced landing.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. Mandatory
Service Bulletin (MSB) 18-08, Revision B, dated January 13, 2020. The
MSB describes procedures for inspection, modification, or replacement
of the cross-flow cylinder assembly. 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.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is proposing this AD because it 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.
Proposed AD Requirements
This proposed AD would require visual inspection of the cross-flow
cylinder assembly and, depending on the results of the visual
inspection, modification or replacement of the cross-flow cylinder
assembly.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 4,000 engines
installed on airplanes of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:
Estimated Costs
|
Action
|
Labor cost
|
Parts cost
|
Cost per
product
|
Cost on
U.S. operators
|
| Visual inspection of the cross-flow
cylinder assembly |
2 work-hours x $85 per hour =
$170 |
$0
|
$170
|
$680,000
|
The FAA estimates the following costs
to do any necessary
modification or replacement of the cross-flow cylinder assembly that
would be required based on the results of the proposed visual
inspection. The FAA has no way of determining the number of cross-flow
cylinder assemblies that might need this modification or replacement.
On-Condition Costs
|
Action
|
Labor cost
|
Parts cost
|
Cost per
product
|
| Modify the cross-flow cylinder
assembly |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
$0
|
$85
|
| Replace the cross-flow cylinder
assembly |
11.5 work-hours x $85 per hour
= $977.50 |
1,933.28
|
2,910.78
|
According to the manufacturer, some
of the costs of this proposed
AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on
affected individuals. The FAA does not control warranty coverage for
affected individuals. As a result, the FAA has included all costs in
our cost estimate.
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):
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