AD/B737/300 Fuselage Frame Air Conditioning Bracket Attachments (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Boeing 737 Series Aeroplanes

AD/B737/300 Fuselage Frame Air Conditioning
Bracket Attachments 3/2007

Applicability:	Model 737-200, -300, -400, and -500 series aircraft; as identified in Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 737-53-1216 Revision 1, or later FAA approved revision.
Requirement:	Action in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2006-26-09 Amdt 39-14867.
Compliance:	As specified in the Requirement document, with a revised effective date of 15 March 2007.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 15 March 2007.
Background:	The FAA received numerous reports of fuselage frame cracks detected at the attachment holes for support brackets for the air conditioning outlet extrusion.  Such cracking, unless detected and corrected, could continue to grow and result in a severed frame.  A severed frame, combined with existing multi-site damage at the stringer 10 lap splice, could result in rapid decompression of the aircraft.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

1 February 2007