Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8-11, DC-8-12, DC-8-21, DC-8-31, DC-8-32, DC-8-33, DC-8-41, DC-8-42, and DC-8-43 Airplanes; DC-8-50 Series Airplanes; DC-8F-54 and DC-8F-55 Airplanes; DC-8-60 Series Airplanes; DC-8-60F Series Airplanes; DC-8-70 Series Airplanes; and DC-8-70F Series Airplanes

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8-70 and -70F series airplanes. That AD currently requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the lower cargo doorjamb corners, and corrective action if necessary. That AD provides for optional terminating action for certain repetitive inspections for certain airplanes. For certain other airplanes, that AD requires modification of the lower cargo doorjamb corners. This proposed AD would add airplanes to the applicability. The existing AD was prompted by reports of fatigue cracks in the fuselage skin in the lower cargo doorjamb corners; this proposed AD is prompted by the inadvertent omission of certain airplanes from the existing applicability. We are proposing this AD to ensure that the unsafe condition will be addressed on all affected airplanes so that cracking in the lower cargo doorjamb corners is detected and corrected before it can result in rapid decompression of the fuselage and consequent reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

DATES:

We must receive comments on this proposed AD by December 20, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Use one of the following addresses 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.
• Fax: (202) 493-2251.
• Hand Delivery: room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

You can get the service information identified in this proposed AD from Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Long Beach Division, 3855 Lakewood Boulevard, Long Beach, California 90846, Attention: Data and Service Management, Dept. C1-L5A (D800-0024).

You may examine the contents of the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jon Mowery, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 90712-4137; telephone (562) 627-5322; fax (562) 627-5210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Docket Management System (DMS)

The FAA has implemented new procedures for maintaining AD dockets electronically. As of May 17, 2004, new AD actions are posted on DMS and assigned a docket number. We track each action and assign a corresponding directorate identifier. The DMS AD docket number is in the form “Docket No. FAA-2004-99999.” The Transport Airplane Directorate identifier is in the form “Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-999-AD.” Each DMS AD docket also lists the directorate identifier (“Old Docket Number”) as a cross-reference for searching purposes.

Comments Invited

We invite you to submit any written relevant data, views, or arguments regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address listed under ADDRESSES. Include “Docket No. FAA-2004-19536; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-86-AD” at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the proposed AD in light of those 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 AD. Using the search function of our docket Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in 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.). 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.

We are reviewing the writing style we currently use in regulatory documents. We are interested in your comments on whether the style of this document is clear, and your suggestions to improve the clarity of our communications that affect you. You can get more information about plain language at http://www.faa.gov/language and http://www.plainlanguage.gov.

Examining the Docket

You may examine the AD docket in person at the Docket Management Facility office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Management Facility office (telephone (800) 647-5227) is located on the plaza level of the Nassif Building at the DOT street address stated in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after the DMS receives them.

Discussion

On March 12, 2004, we issued AD 2004-06-06, amendment 39-13532 (69 FR 15234, March 25, 2004), for certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8-70 and -70F series airplanes. That AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the lower cargo doorjamb corners, and corrective action if necessary. For certain airplanes, that AD provides for optional terminating action for certain repetitive inspections. For certain other airplanes, that AD requires modification of the lower cargo doorjamb corners. That AD was prompted by reports of fatigue cracks in the fuselage skin in the lower cargo doorjamb corners. We issued that AD to detect and correct cracking in the lower cargo doorjamb corners, which could result in rapid decompression of the fuselage and consequent reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued

Since we issued AD 2004-06-06, we learned that certain airplanes had been inadvertently omitted from the applicability. That AD's applicability includes only “Model DC-8-70 and -70F series airplanes.” That applicability does not precisely identify the affected airplanes: Model DC-8 series 70 “and prior” airplanes.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

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. Therefore, we are proposing to supersede AD 2004-06-06.

This proposed AD would continue to require repetitive inspections for cracking of the lower cargo doorjamb corners, and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD would continue to provide for optional terminating action for certain repetitive inspections for certain airplanes. For certain other airplanes, this proposed AD would continue to require modification of the lower cargo doorjamb corners.

This proposed AD would clarify the applicability and ensure compliance of all affected airplanes by adding the affected airplanes that were inadvertently omitted from the existing AD.

This proposed AD would require using the service information described previously to perform these actions, except as discussed below under “Differences Between the Proposed AD and the Service Bulletin.”

The proposed AD would continue to require that operators send us a report of the results of each inspection.

Differences Between the Proposed AD and the Service Bulletin

McDonnell Douglas Service Bulletin DC8-53-078 (described in the preamble to AD 2004-06-06) specifies that the manufacturer may be contacted for disposition of certain repair conditions. This proposed AD would continue to require that those repairs be done in accordance with an FAA-approved method, or in accordance with data meeting the type certification basis of the airplane approved by a Boeing Company Designated Engineering Representative whom we have authorized to make such findings.

Additional Changes to Existing AD

This proposed AD would retain the requirements of AD 2004-06-06. Since we issued that AD, we have revised the AD format. As a result, we have rearranged certain paragraphs and changed the corresponding paragraph identifiers in this proposed AD, as listed in the following table:

Costs of Compliance

This proposed AD would affect about 264 airplanes worldwide. The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators to comply with this proposed AD, which adds no economic burden above that imposed by AD 2004-06-06. The current costs for this AD are repeated for the convenience of affected operators, as follows:

Regulatory Findings

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.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that the proposed regulation:

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 regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this proposed AD. See the ADDRESSES section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.

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 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.