97-13-11: Lower Spar Cap Bolt Hole Areas

97-13-11 AYRES CORPORATION: Amendment 39-10071; Docket No. 97-CE-44-AD. Applicability: Airplanes with the following model and serial number designations with or without a -DC suffix, certificated in any category: Group 1 Airplanes Model Serial Numbers S-2R 5000R through 5099R. S2R-R1340 R1340-011, R1340-012, R1340-019, R1340-020, R1340-024, R1340-025, and R1340-027. S2R-R1820 R1820-001 through 1820-035. S2R-T34 6000R through 6049R, T34-001 through T34-143, T34-145, T34-147 through T34-167, T34-171, T34-180, and T34-181*. S2R-T15 T15-001 through T15-033**. S2R-T11 T11-001 through T11-005. S2R-G1 G1-101 through G1-108. * The serial numbers of the Model S2R-T34 airplanes could incorporate T34-xxx, T36-xxx, T41-xxx, or T42-xxx. This AD applies to all of these serial number designations as they are all Model S2R-T34 airplanes. ** The serial numbers of the Model S2R-T15 airplanes could incorporate T15-xx and T27-xx. This AD appliesto both of these serial number designations as they are both Model S2R-T15 airplanes. Group 2 Airplanes Model Serial Numbers S2R-R1340 R1340-028 through R1340-035. S2R-R1820 R1820-036. S2R-T65 T65-001 through T65-017. S2RHG-T65 T65-002 through T65-017. S2R-T34 T-34-144, T34-146, T34-168, T34-169, T34-172 through T34-179, and T34-189 through T34-226*. S2R-T45 T45-001 through T45-014. S2R-G6 G6-101 through G6-146. S2R-G10 G10-101 through G10-138. S2R-G5 G5-101 through G5-105. * The serial numbers of the Model S2R-T34 airplanes could incorporate T34-xxx, T36-xxx, T41-xxx, or T42-xxx. This AD applies to all of these serial number designations as they are all Model S2R-T34 airplanes. Group 3 Airplanes* 600 S2D All serial numbers beginning with 600-1311D. S-2R 1380R and 1416R through 4999R. S2R-1340R R1340-001 through R1340-010, R1340-013 through R1340-018, R1340-021 through R1340-023, and R1340-026. S2R-R3S R3S-001 through R3S-011 *Any Group 3 airplane that has been modified with a hopper of a capacity over 400 gallons, a piston engine greater than 600 horsepower, or any gas turbine engine makes the airplane a Group 1 airplane for the purposes of this AD. The owner/operator must inspect the airplane at the Group 1 compliance time specified in the Compliance section of this AD. NOTE 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified, altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (e) of this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to address it. Compliance: Inspections required as indicated below and any necessary replacement required prior to further flight as indicated in the body of this AD, except to those operators receiving this: - Group 1 Airplanes: Required initially upon the accumulation of 2,700 hours time-in-service (TIS) on each lower spar cap or prior to further flight after the effective date of this priority letter AD, whichever occurs later, except to those operators receiving this action by priority letter issued June 6, 1997, which made the inspection effective prior to further flight after receipt of the priority letter on airplanes with 2,700 hours TIS or more. - Group 2 Airplanes: Required initially upon the accumulation of 4,300 hours TIS on each lower spar cap or prior to further flight after the effective date of this AD receipt of this priority letter AD, whichever occurs later, except to thoseoperators receiving this action by priority letter issued June 6, 1997, which made the inspection effective prior to further flight after receipt of the priority letter on airplanes with 4,300 hours TIS or more. - Group 3 Airplanes: Required initially upon the accumulation of 9,000 hours TIS on each lower spar cap or prior to further flight after receipt of this priority letter AD, whichever occurs later, except to those operators receiving this action by priority letter issued June 6, 1997, which made the inspection effective prior to further flight after receipt of the priority letter on airplanes with 9,000 hours TIS or more. To prevent fatigue cracking of the lower spar caps, which, if not detected and corrected, could result in the wing separating from the airplane with consequent loss of control of the airplane, accomplish the following: (a) Inspect, using magnetic particle procedures, the 1/4-inch and 5/16-inch bolt hole areas on each lower spar cap for fatigue cracking. Accomplishment of the inspection is in accordance with Ayres Service Bulletin No. SB-AG-39, dated September 17, 1996. (1) The magnetic particle inspection must follow American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) E1444-94A, using wet particles meeting the requirements of the Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE) AMS 3046. (2) This inspection is to be accomplished by a Level 2 or Level 3 inspector certified using the guidelines established by the American Society for Nondestructive Testing or MIL-STD-410. (b) If any cracking is found during the inspection required by this AD, prior to further flight, replace the affected lower spar cap in accordance with the affected maintenance manual. Upon replacement, total hours TIS starts over for that particular lower spar cap. Use the initial compliance time specified in the Compliance section of this AD to determine the next inspection interval. (c) If cracks are found during any inspection required by this AD, submit a report of inspection findings to the Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), Campus Building, 1701 Columbia Avenue, Suite 2-160, College Park, Georgia 30337-2748; facsimile (404) 305-7348; at the applicable time specified in paragraph (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this AD. The report must include a description of any cracks found, the airplane serial number, and the total number of flight hours on the lower spar cap found cracked. Information collection requirements contained in this regulation have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and have been assigned OMB Control Number 2120-0056. (1) For airplanes on which the inspection is accomplished after receipt of this priority letter AD: Submit the report within 10 days after performing the inspection required by paragraph (a) of this AD. (2) For airplanes on which the inspection has been accomplished prior to the receipt of this priority letter AD: Submit the report within 10 days after receipt of this priority letter AD. (d) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location to accomplish the modification requirements of this AD provided the following is followed: (1) The hopper is empty. (2) Vne is reduced to 126 miles per hour (109 knots). (3) Flight into known turbulence is prohibited. (e) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), Campus Building, 1701 Columbia Avenue, Suite 2-160, College Park, Georgia 30337-2748. The request shall be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Atlanta ACO. NOTE 2: Information concerning the existence of approved alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be obtained from the Atlanta ACO. (f) The inspection required by this AD shall be done in accordance with Ayres Service Bulletin No. SB-AG-39, dated September 17, 1996. This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from the Ayres Corporation, P.O. Box 3090, One Rockwell Avenue, Albany, Georgia 31706-3090. Copies may be inspected at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC. (g) This amendment (39-10071) becomes effective on July 23, 1997, to all persons except those persons to whom it was made immediately effective by priority letter AD 97-13-11, issued June 20, 1997, which contained the requirements of this amendment.