DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0719 Product Identifier 2019-CE-041-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for certain Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) Model PC-24 airplanes. This
proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information
(MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to
identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The
MCAI identifies the unsafe condition as movement of the aft fuel pipe
within the coupling, which can cause damage to the O-rings and lead to
a fuel leak, fuel fire or explosion, and consequent loss of control of
the airplane. 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 September
14, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments 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: 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 proposed AD,
contact Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., Customer Support General Aviation, CH-
6371 Stans, Switzerland, +41 848 24 7 365, techsupport.ch@pilatus-
aircraft.com, www.pilatus-aircraft.com. You may view this service
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational
Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106. For information on
the availability of this material at the FAA, call 816-329-4148. It is
also available on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0719.

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-2020-0719;
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 proposed AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and
other information. The street address for Docket Operations is in the
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly
after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA,
Small Airplane Standards Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City,
Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4059; fax: (816) 329-4090; email:
doug.rudolph@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-2020-0719;
Product Identifier 2019-CE-041-AD" at the beginning of your comments.
The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may
amend this proposed AD because of those comments.

Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments we receive, 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 it receives about this proposed AD.

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 Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small
Airplane Standards Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri
64106; telephone: (816) 329-4059; fax: (816) 329-4090; email:
doug.rudolph@faa.gov. 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 No. 2019-0240, dated September 25, 2019 (referred to
after this as "the MCAI"), to correct an unsafe condition for Pilatus
Model PC-24 airplanes. The MCAI states:

An occurrence was reported where, during maintenance, when
system pressure was applied to a motive-flow fuel pipe, the aft fuel
pipe was found to move to the end stop within the coupling. When
system pressure was released, the aft fuel pipe returned to its
point of origin. This movement can cause damage to the O-rings.

This condition, if not corrected, could lead to a fuel leak and
consequently a fuel contamination of the rear fuselage, which, in
combination with an ignition source in this area, could possibly
result in a fuel fire or fuel vapour explosion and consequent loss
of the aeroplane.

To address this potential unsafe condition, Pilatus issued the
[service bulletin] SB to provide modification instructions.

For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires
replacement of affected parts with serviceable parts, as defined in
this AD, and prohibits (re-)installation of affected parts.

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-2020-0719.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Pilatus Service Bulletin No: 28-002, dated May 3,
2019. The service information contains procedures for replacing the two
flexible saddle clamps on the left-hand (LH) motive-flow fuel pipe and
the two flexible saddle clamps on the right-hand (RH) motive-flow
fuel pipe with fixed saddle clamps. This service information also
contains procedures for replacing the four O-rings on the LH and RH
motive-flow fuel pipes. 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 and Requirements of the Proposed AD

This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another
country and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to
our bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, it has
notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and
service information referenced above. The FAA is proposing this AD
because the FAA evaluated all information and determined the unsafe
condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of
the same type design.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 16 products of
U.S. registry. The FAA also estimates that it would take about 7 work-
hours per product to comply with the requirements of this proposed AD.
The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would cost
about $5,000 per product.

Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the cost of the proposed
AD on U.S. operators would be $89,520 or $5,595 per product.

According to the manufacturer, all or 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 this 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):