Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
Key claim: The FAA is requiring repetitive inspections of the fuselage skin and structure around the aft drain mast on certain Boeing 737-100 through -500 series airplanes to detect and address cracks or corrosion.
Abstract
(Rule · Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration) The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of cracks found in the fuselage skin underneath the aft drain mast. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the fuselage skin and structure common to the aft drain mast for any crack or corrosion and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Why this matters
Repetitive structural inspections on legacy 737 Classic fuselages reflect FAA’s continued aging-aircraft surveillance posture, keeping older narrow-body airframes in service safely as they accumulate cycles. The action is incremental but illustrates the ongoing regulatory maintenance burden borne by operators of pre-NG 737 variants.