Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 737-300, -400, and -500 Series Airplanes

Resumen

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model 737-300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD requires inspecting for discrepancies of the fuselage skin under the dorsal fin assembly, and repairing if necessary. This AD is prompted by a report of an 18-inch crack found in the fuselage skin area under the blade seals of the nose cap of the dorsal fin due to previous wear damage. We are issuing this AD to find and fix discrepancies of the fuselage skin, which could result in fatigue cracking due to cabin pressurization, and consequent rapid in-flight decompression of the airplane fuselage.