AD 2006-17-05 Airworthiness Directives; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MU-2B Series Airplanes

This AD affects the following airplane models and serial numbers that are certificated in any category: Table 1.—Applicability Type certificate Models Serial Nos. (1) A2PC MU-2B, MU-2B-10, MU-2B-15, MU-2B-20, MU-2B-25, and MU-2B-26 008 through 312, 314 through 320, and 322 through 347. (2) A2PC MU-2B-30, MU-2B-35, and MU-2B-36 501 through 651, 653 through 660, and 662 through 696. (3) A10SW MU-2B-25, MU-2B-26, and MU-2B-26A, and MU-2B-40 313SA, 321SA, and 348SA through 459SA. (4) A10SW MU-2B-35, MU-2B-36A, and MU-2B-60 652SA, 661SA, and 697SA through 1569SA.

To address this problem, you must do the following: Table 2.—Actions/Compliance/Procedures Actions Compliance Procedures Do flight checks of the rigging of the engine and propeller systems and make any necessary corrections. The owner/operator holding at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by section 43.7 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7) may do these actions. Make an entry into the aircraft logbook showing compliance with this portion of the AD in accordance with section 43.9 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.9) Check within 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) after September 22, 2006 (the effective date of this AD), and repetitively thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 hours TIS. If any corrections are necessary, make the corrections before further flight For airplanes listed in TCDS A2PC: Follow MHI MV-2 Service Bulletin No. 234, dated October 7, 1998. For airplanes listed in TCDS A10SW: Follow MHI MV-2 Service Bulletin No. 097/73-001, dated July 24, 1998. Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs) (f) The Manager, Fort Worth ACO, FAA, ATTN: Rao Edupuganti, Aerospace Engineer, ASW-150, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76193; telephone: (817) 222-5284; facsimile: (817) 222-5960, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Related Information (g) Japan Civil Aviation Bureau Airworthiness Directive No. TCD 4890-98, dated November 4, 1998; and MHI MV-2 Service Bulletins No. 234, dated October 7, 1998; and No. 097/73-001, dated July 24, 1998, also address the subject of this AD. Material Incorporated by Reference (h) You must do the actions required by this AD following the instructions in Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MV-2 Service Bulletin No. 234, dated October 7, 1998; and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MV-2 Service Bulletin No. 097/73-001, dated July 24, 1998. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of this service bulletin in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. To get a copy of these service bulletins, contact Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc., 4951 Airport Parkway, Suite 800, Addison, Texas 75001; telephone: (972) 934-5480; facsimile: (972) 934-5488. To review copies of this service information, go to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html or call (202) 741-6030. To view the AD docket, go to the Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590-0001 or on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket number is FAA-2006-23884; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-13-AD. Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 11, 2006. John R. Colomy, Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. [FR Doc. E6-13554 Filed 8-17-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

This AD results from a recent safety evaluation that used a data-driven approach to analyze the design, operation, and maintenance of the MU-2B series airplanes in order to determine their safety and define what steps, if any, are necessary for their safe operation. Part of that evaluation was the identification of unsafe conditions that exist or could develop on the affected type design airplanes. The actions specified in this AD are intended to detect and correct improper adjustment of the flight idle fuel flow setting. The above issue, if uncorrected, could result in degraded performance and poor handling qualities with consequent loss of control of the airplane in certain situations.