DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0021; Project Identifier AD-2020-01283-A;
Amendment 39-22060; AD 2022-11-10]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Model PA-46-600TP airplanes. This
AD was prompted by testing that showed that the wing splice assembly
could fail before the assembly reaches its established life limit. This
AD requires revising the Airworthiness Limitations section (ALS) of the
existing maintenance manual (MM) or instructions for continued
airworthiness (ICA) to reduce the life limit of the wing splice
assembly. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on
these products.

DATES: This AD is effective June 27, 2022.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule,
contact Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32960;
phone: (772) 291-2141; website: https://www.piper.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 (817)
222-5110.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0021; 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 final rule, any
comments received, and other information. The address for Docket
Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-
30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE, Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fred Caplan, Aviation Safety Engineer,
Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337;
phone: (404) 474-5507; email: frederick.n.caplan@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain serial-numbered
Piper Model PA-46-600TP airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal
Register on February 1, 2022 (87 FR 5428). The NPRM was prompted by
testing that showed that the wing splice assembly, part number (P/N)
46W57A100-001, could fail before reaching its established life limit on
Model PA-46-600TP airplanes. The wing splice assembly was certificated
with a life limit of 5,132 hours time-in-service (TIS); however, the
failures of the test assembly occurred before reaching that established
life limit. The stress levels used in the life limit analysis were not
adequate. After a new fatigue test article analysis, Piper reduced the
life limit of the wing splice assembly P/N 46W57A100-001 from 5,132
hours TIS to 3,767 hours TIS and revised the Airworthiness Limitations
section in the MM accordingly.
In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require revising the Airworthiness
Limitations section of the existing MM or ICA to reduce the life limit
of the wing splice assembly. Failure of the wing splice assembly, if
not addressed, could result in loss of airplane control. The FAA is
issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

The FAA received comments from Piper. The following presents the
comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to each comment.

Request Regarding Applicability and Cost of Compliance

Piper requested that the FAA update the applicable serial numbers.
The applicable serial numbers in the proposed AD were based upon the
understanding that airworthiness limitations with the new wing splice
assembly life limit would be delivered with new airplanes beginning
with serial number 4698186. However, while the AD was in development,
airworthiness limitations with the new life limit were actually
delivered with new airplanes with serial numbers 4698147, 4698149, and
4698158 and larger.
The FAA agrees and has revised the applicability of this AD
accordingly.
Based on its comment regarding the applicable serial numbers, Piper
also requested that the FAA revise the estimated Costs of Compliance
section. Piper stated that the costs would be reduced because there are
fewer affected airplanes.
The FAA agrees that the estimated Costs of Compliance should be
updated to reflect the correct number of affected airplanes. However,
the FAA's original estimate of the number of affected airplanes was in
error. The FAA has corrected that error in the Costs of Compliance
section of this final rule, resulting in a higher count of airplanes.

Request Regarding Required Actions

Piper stated that operators cannot physically comply with paragraph
(g), Action, of the proposed AD, which proposed to require revising the
ALS by reducing the life limit of the wing splice assembly. Piper
stated that the ICA are delivered with the airplane in an electronic
format on a CD-ROM. Piper requested that the FAA change this action by
requiring a logbook entry documenting the change in life limit of the
wing splice assembly.
The FAA does not agree that operators are unable to comply with the
AD as proposed. While the AD mandates revising the ALS to reduce the
life limit, it does not specify any particular method that operators
must use to do the revision. One acceptable method is to replace the
existing CD-ROM document with a new CD-ROM that includes the new life
limit. As long as the ALS of an operator's existing MM or ICA includes
the new life limit, then the operator has complied with this AD. The
FAA did not change this AD based on this comment.

Request Regarding Related Information

Piper requested that the FAA revise Note 1 to paragraph (g) of the
proposed AD to include the December 4, 2020, version of the ALS. Piper
stated the initial life limit reduction for wing splice assembly P/N
46W57A100-001 was introduced in the December 4, 2020, version of the
ALS. The August 31, 2021, version of the ALS, which was included in the
proposed AD, contains the reduced life limit for wing splice assembly
P/N 46W57A100-001 and introduces new part numbers for the wing splice
assembly (P/N 46W57A100-002) and a service wing assembly (P/N
46W00A700-702).
The FAA agrees that the December 4, 2020, version of the ALS
contains the reduced wing splice assembly life limit, but does not
agree that a change to this AD is necessary. As previously explained,
the AD does not specify any particular method that operators must use
to revise the ALS. One acceptable method is incorporating the life
limit specified in Piper Aircraft, Inc. PA-46-600TP, M600 Maintenance
Manual, Airworthiness Limitations, Page 1, dated December 4, 2020.
The FAA did not change this AD based on this comment.

Conclusion

The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments
received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as
proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products. Except for the changes described
previously, this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the
changes will increase the economic burden on any operator.

Related Service Information

The FAA reviewed Piper Aircraft, Inc., PA-46-600TP, M600
Maintenance Manual, Airworthiness Limitations, Section 4-00-00, dated
August 31, 2021. This service information specifies the life limits of
structural parts for the Model PA-46-600TP airplane and reduces the
life limit for the wing splice assembly.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 139 airplanes of U.S.
registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this 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

This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order
13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:
(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, Safety.

The Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA amends 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: