DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-1413; Project Identifier MCAI-2021-00077-E]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Continental Aerospace Technologies GmbH
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 certain Continental Aerospace Technologies GmbH TAE 125-02-99 and
TAE 125-02-114 model reciprocating engines. This proposed AD was prompted
by manufacturer reports of fractured main bearing studs. This proposed AD would
require the removal and replacement of certain main bearing studs. The FAA is
proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by December 27, 2022.

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 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.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-1413; 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.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For service information identified in this NPRM, contact
Continental Aerospace Technologies GmbH, Platanenstrasse 14, 09356
Sankt Egidien, Germany; phone: +49 37204 696 0; email:
support@continentaldiesel.com; website: continentaldiesel.com.
You may view this service information at the FAA,
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200
District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the
availability of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Caufield, Aviation Safety
Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803;
phone: (781) 238-7146; email: barbara.caufield@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-2022-1413; Project Identifier
MCAI-2021-00077-E'' 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
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
Barbara Caufield, Aviation Safety 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.

Background

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued
EASA AD 2021-0022, dated January 18, 2021 (referred to after this as
``the MCAI''), to address an unsafe condition on certain Continental
Aerospace Technologies GmbH (Type Certificate previously held by
Technify Motors GmbH and Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH) TAE 125-02-99
and TAE 125-02-114 model reciprocating engines. The MCAI states that
the manufacturer has received reports of fractured main bearing studs.
A fractured main bearing stud provides improper support to the
crankshaft and increases crankshaft clearance, resulting in crankshaft
sensor failures and potential crankshaft fracture. The manufacturer is
investigating the root cause of main bearing stud failures. To address
this unsafe condition, Continental Aerospace Technologies GmbH
published service information to identify the serial numbers (S/Ns) of
the affected engines and specify procedures for replacement of certain
main bearing studs. The MCAI specifies actions to replace main bearing
studs and specifies certain main bearing studs that are not to be
installed onto any engine. This condition, if not addressed, could
result in engine in-flight shutdown and forced landing, damage to the
airplane, and injury to the occupants. The FAA is issuing this AD to
address the unsafe condition.
You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-1413.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Continental Aerospace Technologies GmbH Service
Bulletin (SB) CG 125-1027 P1, Revision 1, dated May 28, 2021. This
service information identifies the S/Ns of the affected engines and
specifies procedures for replacing the main bearing studs. The FAA also
reviewed Continental Aerospace Technologies GmbH Repair Instruction RI-
05-0017-04, Revision 4, dated April 1, 2021. This service information
provides instructions for replacing the main bearing studs.
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 ADDRESSES.

FAA's Determination

These products have been approved by the aviation authority of
another country and are approved for operation in the United States.
Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design
Authority, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in
the MCAI and service information described above. The FAA is issuing
this NPRM after determining that the unsafe condition described
previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of these
same type designs.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require the removal of certain main bearing
studs from service and replacement with parts eligible for installation. This
proposed AD would also prohibit the installation of certain main
bearing studs.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 92 engines installed on aircraft of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:

Estimated Costs

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 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) 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: