Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 767-300 Series Airplanes

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracks in the fuselage skin and backup structure at the lower VHF antenna cutout at station 1197 + 99 between stringers 39 left and 39 right, and corrective actions if necessary. Certain repairs terminate certain inspection requirements. This AD was prompted by reports of cracking found in the section 46 fuselage lower skin around the periphery of the VHF antenna baseplate at station 1197 + 99. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracks in the fuselage skin and internal backup structure, which could result in rapid decompression of the airplane.