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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2020-0991; Project Identifier AD-2020-00539-A]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Mooney International Corporation
Airplanes
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 certain Mooney International Corporation (Mooney) Model M20V air-
planes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of short circuit and
arcing of the alternator main power cable in the engine compartment.
This condition, if unaddressed, could result in a fire hazard, loss of
engine thrust control, and reduced control of the airplane. This proposed
AD would require inspecting the alternator main power cable and the ex-
haust crossover tube for damage, replacing damaged parts as necessary,
and
installing an additional alternator cable clamp. 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 April
23,
2021.
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 Mooney
International Corporation, 165 Al Mooney Road, North Kerrville, TX
78028; phone: (800) 456-3033; email: support@mooney.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.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0991; 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacob Fitch, Aviation Safety Engineer,
Fort Worth ACO Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177;
phone: (817) 222-4130; fax: (817) 222-5245; email: jacob.fitch@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 ADDRESSES. Include "Docket No. FAA-2020-0991; Project Identifier
AD-2020-00539-A" at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposal 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 received, without change, to
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each
substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.
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 Jacob
Fitch, Aviation Safety Engineer, Fort Worth ACO Branch, FAA, 10101
Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177. Any commentary that the FAA
receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in
the public docket for this rulemaking.
Background
The FAA received a report that two Mooney Model M20V airplanes had
short circuit arcing of the alternator main power cable in the engine
compartment. Mooney determined the alternator main power cable was
incorrectly positioned with slack in the cable and allowed contact
between the alternator main power cable and turbocharger right-hand
(RH) exhaust crossover tube. In one instance, this contact caused
arcing of the alternator main power cable and created a hole in the RH
exhaust crossover tube, which may result in a fire hazard. A damaged
crossover tube may also decrease effectiveness of the turbochargers and
cause complete loss of engine power at higher altitudes (above 9,000
ft. above sea level). This condition, if not addressed, could result in
an inflight fire and loss of engine thrust control, which may lead to
reduced control of the airplane.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Mooney International Corporation Service Bulletin
M20-340C, dated February 14, 2020 (SB M20-340C). The service
information specifies inspecting the alternator main power cable and
the exhaust crossover tube for damage and replacing damaged parts as
necessary. The service information also contains procedures for
modifying the alternator main power cable routing by installing an
additional alternator cable clamp, part number MS21919WCJ6.
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 issuing this NPRM after determining the unsafe condition
described previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of
the same type design.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the service information described previously, except as discussed
under "Differences Between this Proposed AD and the Service
Information."
Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information
SB M20-340C specifies sending a compliance card to Mooney upon
completing the actions in the service information. This proposed AD
would not require that action.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would affect 18
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
|
| Inspect the cable and exhaust
crossover tube for damage. |
.5 work-hour x $85 per hour = $42.50 |
$0
|
$42.50
|
$765
|
| Install additional cable clamp. |
.5 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$42.50 |
10
|
52.50
|
945
|
The FAA estimates the following costs
to do any necessary repairs/
replacements that would be required based on the results of the
proposed inspection. The agency has no way of determining the number of
aircraft that might need these repairs/replacements:
On-Condition Costs
|
Action
|
Labor cost
|
Parts cost
|
Cost per
product
|
| Replace alternator main power
cable. |
8 work-hours x $85 per hour =
$680 |
$1,000
|
$1,680
|
| Replace exhaust crossover tube. |
8 work-hours x $85.00 per hour
= $680 |
2,500
|
3,180
|
The FAA has included all known costs
in its cost estimate.
According to the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this
proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost
impact on affected operators.
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 proposing 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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Would 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:
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