DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION


14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2004-19960; Directorate Identifier 2004-CE-47-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES; The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. PA-34
Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The  FAA proposes  to supersede  Airworthiness Directive  (AD) 93
-24-14,  which applies to all  The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper)  PA-34
series  airplanes.  AD  93-24-14 currently  requires  you  to repetitively
replace the bolt and stack up that connect the upper drag link to the nose
gear trunnion. This proposed AD  is the result of many  service difficulty
reports related  to the  collapse or  inadvertent retraction  of the  nose
landing  gear  (NLG).  Consequently, this  proposed  AD  would retain  the
actions required in AD 93-24-14 until the actions of the proposed AD would
begin, require you to inspect the NLG and components of the NLG using  new
procedures for  rigging the  nose gear  installation, and  require you  to
replace  unserviceable parts.  We are  also issuing  this  proposed  AD to
detect, correct, and prevent future  failure in certain components of  the
NLG, lack of cleanliness of the NLG due to inadequate maintenance, or lack
of lubricant in the NLG or  NLG components. This failure of the  NLG could
lead  to loss  of control  of the  airplane during  take-off, landing,  or
taxiing operations.

DATES: We must receive any comments on this proposed AD by April 11, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Use one  of the following  to submit comments  on this proposed
AD:

DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow the  instructions
for sending your comments electronically.

Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov  and
follow the instructions for sending your comments electronically.

Mail: Docket Management Facility;  U.S. Department of Transportation,  400
Seventh Street, SW.,  Nassif Building, Room  PL-401, Washington, DC  20590
-001.

Fax: 1-202-493-2251.

Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building,  400
Seventh Street, S.W.,  Washington, DC, between  9 a.m. and  5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

To get the service information identified in this proposed AD, contact The
New Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, Florida, 32960.

To view the comments to this proposed AD, go to http://dms.dot.gov.

This is docket number FAA-2004-19960.

FOR FURTHER  INFORMATION CONTACT:  Hassan Amini,  Aerospace Engineer, FAA,
Atlanta  Aircraft Certification  Office, One  Crown Center,  1895 Phoenix
Boulevard, Suite 450,  Atlanta, Georgia 30349;  telephone: (770) 703-6080;
facsimile: (770) 703-6097.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

COMMENTS INVITED

How do I comment on this proposed AD? We invite you to submit any  written
relevant  data, views,  or arguments  regarding this  proposal. Send  your
comments to an address listed under ADDRESSES. Include the docket  number,
"FAA-2004-19960; Directorate Identifier 2004-CE-47-AD" at the beginning of
your comments. We  will post all  comments we receive,  without change, to
http://dms.dot.gov,  including any  personal information  you provide.  We
will also post a report  summarizing each substantive verbal contact  with
FAA  personnel  concerning  this  proposed  rulemaking.  Using  the search
function of our  docket web site,  anyone can find  and read the  comments
received into any of our dockets, including the name of the individual who
sent  the comment  (or signed  the comment  on behalf  of an  association,
business, labor union,  etc.). This is  docket number FAA-2004-19960.  You
may  review  the  DOT's  complete Privacy  Act  Statement  in  the Federal
Register published on  April 11, 2000  (65 FR 19477-78)  or you may  visit
http://dms.dot.gov.

Are there any specific portions of this proposed AD I should pay attention
to? We specifically invite  comments on the overall  regulatory, economic,
environmental, and energy aspects of  this proposed AD. If you  contact us
through  a  nonwritten  communication  and  that  contact  relates  to   a
substantive part of  this proposed AD,  we will summarize  the contact and
place the summary in the docket. We will consider all comments received by
the closing date and may amend this proposed AD in light of those comments
and contacts.

DOCKET INFORMATION

Where can I go to view the docket information? You may view the AD  docket
that  contains  the  proposal,  any  comments  received,  and  any   final
disposition in person at the DMS Docket Offices between 9 a.m. and 5  p.m.
(eastern standard time), Monday  through Friday, except Federal  holidays.
The Docket Office (telephone 1-800-647-5227) is located on the plaza level
of the Department of Transportation NASSIF Building at the street  address
stated in ADDRESSES. You  may also view the  AD docket on the  Internet at
http://dms.dot.gov.  The  comments  will be  available  in  the AD  docket
shortly after the DMS receives them.

DISCUSSION

Has FAA taken any action to  this point? Several incidents where the  nose
landing gear (NLG)  on The New  Piper Aircraft, Inc.  (Piper) PA-34 series
airplanes collapsed caused us to issue AD 93-24-14, Amendment 39-8762  (58
FR  65115,  December  13,  1993).  AD  93-24-14  currently  requires   the
repetitive replacement  of the  bolt and  stack up  that connect the upper
drag link to the nose gear trunnion on all Piper PA- 34 series airplanes.

What has happened since AD 93-24-14 to initiate this proposed action?  The
FAA has received 188 service difficulty reports (SDRs) related to the  NLG
on  Piper PA-34  series airplanes.  There are  72 SDRs  that describe  the
collapse or inadvertent retraction of the NLG.

A review of the  SDRs related to the  NLG and the collapse  or inadvertent
retraction of the NLG found that  one or more of the following  conditions
could result in collapse of the NLG:

--nose gear steering control excessive travel and the disengagement of the
tiller roller;

--failure or out of tolerances of the retraction links and bolts;

--crack(s) in the nose gear trunnion;

--failure of the nose gear upper drag link attach bolt;

--failure of the nose gear retraction link retention spring;

--out of rig and failure of the nose gear down lock link assembly;

--failure of the nose gear actuator mounting bracket and its attachments;

--failure  of  the  attachment  of the  retraction  link  to  the actuator
mounting bracket;

--lack of lubricant in the NLG or NLG components; or

--lack of cleanliness of the NLG or the NLG components.

The  exact cause  of the  collapse or  inadvertent retraction  of the  NLG
cannot be determined.

Consequently, Piper took the  following actions to prevent  future failure
of the NLG:

--modified certain components to improve their long-term service life;

--corrected  and  clarified  the  rigging  procedures  for  the  nose gear
installation; and

--revised  the   periodic  inspection   requirements  of   the  applicable
maintenance manuals.

What is the  potential impact if  FAA took no  action? Failure in  certain
components of  the NLG,  a lack  of cleanliness  of the  NLG, or a lack of
lubricant in the NLG or the NLG components could result in failure of  the
NLG. This failure of the NLG could lead to loss of control of the airplane
during take-off, landing, or taxiing operations.

Is there service information that  applies to this subject? The  New Piper
Aircraft, Inc. has issued Service  Bulletin No. 1123A, dated November  30,
2004.

What are the provisions of this service information? The service  bulletin
includes procedures for:

--inspecting the NLG and the NLG components;

--rigging of the nose gear installation; and

--replacing older parts of the NLG with new modified parts having improved
service life.

FAA'S DETERMINATION AND REQUIREMENTS OF THIS PROPOSED AD

What has  FAA decided?  We have  evaluated all  pertinent information  and
identified an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on other
products of this same  type design. For this  reason, we are proposing  AD
action.

What would this proposed AD  require? This proposed AD would  supersede AD
93-24-14 with a new AD that would incorporate the actions in Piper Service
Bulletin No. 1123A, dated November 30, 2004.

How does the revision to 14 CFR  part 39 affect this proposed AD? On  July
10, 2002, we published a new version of 14 CFR part 39 (67 FR 47997,  July
22, 2002),  which governs  FAA's AD  system. This  regulation now includes
material that  relates to  altered products,  special flight  permits, and
alternative methods of compliance.  This material previously was  included
in each individual AD. Since this material is included in 14 CFR part  39,
we will not include it in future AD actions.

COSTS OF COMPLIANCE

How many airplanes  would this proposed  AD impact? We  estimate that this
proposed AD affects 2,047 airplanes in the U.S. registry.

What would be the cost impact of this proposed AD on owners/ operators  of
the affected airplanes? We estimate the following costs to do the proposed
inspections and the rigging of the nose gear installation:

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                                                       TOTAL COST PER
           LABOR COST               PARTS COST            AIRPLANE      TOTAL COST ON U.S. OPERATORS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 workhours x $65 per hour =     No cost for parts..      $585            2,047 x $585 = $1,197,495.
 $585.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We estimate the following costs to do all the necessary replacements  that
would be  required based  on the  results of  this proposed inspection. We
have no way  of determining the  number of airplanes  that may need  these
replacements:

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              LABOR COST                     PARTS COST              TOTAL COST PER AIRPLANE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
44 workhours x $65 per hour = $2,860.   $920 (only if cracks or      $2,860 + $920 = $3,780.
                                        damage found in the NLG).
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What is the difference between the cost impact of this proposed AD and the
cost  impact  of  AD  93-24-14?   The  cost  estimate  in  1993   was  for
approximately 1,893 airplanes on the  U.S. Registry and the cost  estimate
for the proposed AD is approximately 2,047 airplanes on the U.S. Registry.
Therefore, there is an initial cost difference of $81,158 (154 airplanes x
$527 per airplane) between that originally calculated in 1993 and what  is
proposed now. The difference of  154 airplanes could be attributed  to the
following:

--additional airplanes manufactured since 1993;

--additional airplanes  brought into  the United  States and  added to the
U.S. Registry; and

--improved tools for calculating the number of U.S. registered aircraft in
2004/2005 compared to 1993.

Additionally,  there are  the costs  of doing  any necessary  replacements
based on the results of the proposed inspections.

AUTHORITY FOR THIS RULEMAKING

What authority does FAA have for issuing this rulemaking action? 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.

We are 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 AD.

REGULATORY FINDINGS

Would this proposed  AD impact various  entities? We have  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.

Would this proposed  AD involve a  significant rule or  regulatory action?
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this proposed AD:

1. Is not a "significant regulatory action" under Executive Order 12866;

2. Is  not  a "significant  rule" under  the DOT  Regulatory Policies  and
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 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.

We prepared a  summary of the  costs to comply  with this proposed  AD and
placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by  sending
a request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include "AD  Docket
No. 2004-CE-47-AD" in your request.

LIST OF SUBJECTS IN 14 CFR PART 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the
Federal  Aviation  Administration 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 removing Airworthiness Directive (AD)  93
-24-14, Amendment 39-8762 (58 FR 65115, December 13, 1993), and by  adding
a new AD to read as follows: