Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 777-200 Series Airplanes

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes, that requires one-time inspections to detect cracking of the aft wheel well bulkhead, corrective actions, if necessary, and modification of the aft wheel well bulkhead. For certain airplanes, this AD also requires a one-time visual inspection to detect excess sealant covering the outer flange of the side fitting and lower chord and splice area of the aft wheel well bulkhead, and corrective actions, if necessary. This amendment is prompted by a report indicating that numerous fatigue cracks were found in the aft wheel well bulkhead. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent fatigue cracking of the aft wheel well bulkhead, which could result in rapid in-flight decompression of the airplane.