FAA Updates Airworthiness Directive for Boeing 737-100 and 200 Jets, Fuel Tank Covers

FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has updated the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Boeing 737-100 and 737-200 jets:

We are superseding airworthiness directive (AD) 87-02-07, which applied to all The Boeing Company Model 737-100 and -200 series airplanes.

AD 87-02-07 required replacement of certain underwing fuel tank access covers with stronger, fire-resistant covers. This new AD also requires inspecting fuel tank access doors to determine that impact-resistant access doors are installed in the correct locations, inspecting application of stencils and index markers of impact-resistant access doors, doing corrective actions if necessary, revising the maintenance program, and adding airplanes to the applicability.

This AD was prompted by reports of standard access doors installedwhere impact-resistant access doors are required, and reports ofimpact-resistant doors without stencils. We are issuing this AD to prevent foreign object penetration of the wing tank, which could lead to a fuel leak near ignition sources (engine, hot brakes), consequently leading to a fuel-fed fire.