
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 169 (Wednesday, August 31, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54141-54143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22225]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-0913; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-031-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Cessna Aircraft Company Model 680 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 
products listed above. This proposed AD would require adding diodes to 
the fuel cross-feed wiring, and revising the airplane flight manual to 
include procedures to use when the left or right generator is selected 
OFF. This proposed AD was prompted by a false cross-feed command to the 
right-hand fuel control card, due to the cross-feed inputs on the left- 
and right-hand fuel control cards being connected together and causing 
an imbalance of fuel between the left and right wing tanks. We are 
proposing this AD to prevent lateral imbalance of the airplane, which 
can be corrected by deflecting the aileron trim, but which increases 
the pilot's workload. Uncontrolled fuel cross-feed results in lateral 
imbalance that could exceed the airplane's limitation in a short period 
of time. Exceeding the lateral imbalance limit could result in reduced 
control of the airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 17, 
2011.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.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.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Cessna Aircraft Co., P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, Kansas 67277; telephone 
316-517-6215; fax 316-517-5802; e-mail citationpubs@cessna.textron.com; 
Internet https://www.cessnasupport.com/newlogin.html. You may review 
copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-
227-1221.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES 
section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after 
receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nhien Hoang, Aerospace Engineer, 
Electrical Systems and Avionics Branch, ACE-119W, FAA, Wichita Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Mid-Continent 
Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209; phone: (316) 946-4190; fax: (316) 946-
4107; e-mail: nhien.hoang@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2011-0913; 
Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-031-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    We received a report that a Model 680 airplane in flight displayed 
a DC EMER BUS L amber crew alerting system (CAS) message. Per the 
emergency/abnormal procedures checklist, the flightcrew identified a 
fault on the left main electrical bus and selected the left generator 
to OFF.
    The co-pilot (flying the airplane due to the pilot's primary flight 
display being disabled by the left generator OFF, which also disabled 
the left fuel quantity indication) observed that an increasing amount 
of right aileron control input was required to maintain a wings-level 
attitude.
    After the airplane safely landed, investigation showed that the 
left tank had 5,500 pounds of fuel (full) and the right tank 3,300 
pounds. The flightcrew confirmed it had not selected the fuel cross-
feed during flight. During the 20 minutes that elapsed between 
selecting the left generator OFF and landing, sufficient fuel had 
migrated from the right to the left tank creating an imbalance of 2,200 
pounds. The maximum permissible fuel imbalance for this airplane is 400 
pounds.
    Loss of power on the left main electrical bus results in a false 
cross-feed command to the right-hand fuel control card, due to the 
cross-feed inputs on the left- and right-hand fuel control cards being 
connected together, thereby causing an imbalance of fuel between the 
left and right wing tanks.

[[Page 54142]]

This condition, if not corrected, could result in lateral imbalance of 
the airplane, which can be corrected by deflecting the aileron trim, 
but which increases the pilot's workload. Uncontrolled fuel cross-feed 
results in lateral imbalance that will exceed the airplane's limitation 
in a short period of time. Exceeding the lateral imbalance limit could 
result in reduced control of the airplane.

Relevant Service Information

    We reviewed Cessna Service Bulletin SB680-24-11, including Service 
Bulletin Supplemental Data, dated December 16, 2010, which describes 
procedures for adding diodes to the fuel cross-feed wiring. We have 
also reviewed Cessna Temporary FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual 
Change 68FM TC-R09-13, dated October 15, 2010, to the Cessna 680 
Citation Sovereign Airplane Flight Manual, which introduces procedures 
to use when the left or right generator is selected OFF.

FAA's Determination

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of this same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information described previously.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 198 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
               Action                         Labor cost            Parts cost        product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Installation.......................  4 work-hours x $85 per hour             $40            $380         $75,240
                                      = $340.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.
    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 
rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    We 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) Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies 
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (4) 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, 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 (AD):

Cessna Aircraft Company: Docket No. FAA-2011-0913; Directorate 
Identifier 2011-NM-031-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments by October 17, 2011.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Cessna Aircraft Company Model 680 
airplanes, certificated in any category, serial numbers -0001 
through -0289 inclusive, and -0291 through -0296 inclusive.

Subject

    (d) Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport 
Association (ATA) of America Code 24: Electrical power.

Unsafe Condition

    (e) This AD was prompted by a false cross-feed command to the 
right-hand fuel control card, due to the cross-feed inputs on the 
left- and right-hand fuel control cards being connected together and 
causing an imbalance of fuel between the left and right wing tanks. 
We are issuing this AD to prevent lateral imbalance of the airplane, 
which can be corrected by deflecting the aileron trim, but which 
increases the pilot's workload. Uncontrolled fuel cross-feed results 
in lateral imbalance that could exceed the airplane's limitation in 
a short period of time and result in reduced controllability of the 
airplane.

Compliance

    (f) Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

Installation

    (g) Within 400 flight hours or 12 months after the effective 
date of this AD, whichever occurs first: Install a kit, part number 
(P/N) SB680-24-11, to the left and right motive flow relays, in 
accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Cessna Service 
Bulletin SB680-24-11, dated December 16, 2010. The kit (P/N SB680-
24-11) contains 2 sleeves, 4 splices, 2 diodes (P/N 1N4006), and 
instructions.
    (h) Before further flight after accomplishing the actions 
required by paragraph (g) of this AD: Revise the Cessna 680 Citation 
Sovereign Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to include the information in 
Cessna Temporary FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual Change 68FM TC-
R09-13, dated October 15, 2010, and remove the Temporary Changes 
(TCs)

[[Page 54143]]

identified in table 1 of this AD. Cessna Temporary FAA Approved 
Airplane Flight Manual Change 68FM TC-R09-13, dated October 15, 
2010, introduces procedures to use when the left or right generator 
is selected OFF. Operate the airplane according to the procedures in 
Cessna Temporary FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual Change 68FM TC-
R09-13, dated October 15, 2010.

             Table 1--TCs To Remove From the Cessna 680 AFM
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             Cessna TCs--                           Dated--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
68FM TC-R09-09.......................  October 15, 2010.
68FM TC-R09-10.......................  October 15, 2010.
68FM TC-R09-11.......................  October 15, 2010.
68FM TC-R09-12.......................  October 15, 2010.
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    Note 1: Updating the Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign AFM may be 
done by inserting a copy of Cessna Temporary FAA Approved Airplane 
Flight Manual Change 68FM TC-R09-13, dated October 15, 2010, into 
the AFM. When this TC has been included in general revisions of the 
AFM, the general revisions may be inserted in the AFM, provided the 
relevant information in the general revision is identical to that in 
Cessna Temporary FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual Change 68FM TC-
R09-13, and this TC may be removed.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (i)(1) The Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
ACE-115W, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 
requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance 
with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or 
local Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending 
information directly to the manager of the ACO, send it to the 
attention of the person identified in the Related Information 
section of this AD.
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.

Related Information

    (j) For more information about this AD, contact Nhien Hoang, 
Aerospace Engineer, Electrical Systems and Avionics Branch, ACE-
119W, FAA, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, 
Room 100, Mid-Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209; phone: (316) 
946-4190; fax: (316) 946-4107; e-mail: nhien.hoang@faa.gov.
    (k) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Cessna Aircraft Co., P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, Kansas 67277; telephone 
316-517-6215; fax 316-517-5802; e mail 
citationpubs@cessna.textron.com; Internet https://www.cessnasupport.com/newlogin.html. You may review copies of the 
referenced service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
425-227-1221.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 25, 2011.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-22225 Filed 8-30-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


